Wait for Me
by mugglehugger
Summary: **COMPLETE** When they say goodbye, many things are left unsaid. Four years later, Harry has defeated Voldemort and returned to the Burrow...only to find that Ginny Weasley has moved on. Harry/Ginny/Draco. Has two endings. Post-HBP AU.
1. Prologue: The Dramatic Entrance

Author's Note: Hi everyone! I hope you all enjoy the prologue to my new story! Please leave a review at the end to let me know what you think! Just to clarify: the story starts post-HBP. So everything up to HBP happened and then I take over from there and the story becomes completely AU. Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Prologue: The Dramatic Entrance<strong>

Ginny lay beneath the big oak tree some distance from the Burrow, looking up through the layers of branches to the sky beyond. Tendrils of pink and purple were creeping across the firmament; it was around nine o'clock and the thick of summer. The faint sounds of laughter and tinkling glasses filtered to her from the party in the Burrow yard. Ginny closed her eyes, breathing the fresh evening air deep into her lungs.

"May I…?" Ginny recognized Harry's voice immediately. She heard him clear his throat. "May I join you?"

"Sure," Ginny said, patting the grass beside her. She kept her eyes closed as he lay down…just far enough away so they weren't touching. They lay in silence for a while, their hands inches apart.

"It was a really nice wedding," Harry said finally. Ginny turned her head to find him looking at her. His eyes were incredibly green, even in the darkening twilight.

She smiled. "Yeah, it was, wasn't it?"

Harry didn't volunteer any further comments, and Ginny was at a loss for words. They lapsed into a heavy silence. Ginny was searching her mind desperately for something to say. Somehow, she felt as though they were wasting precious moments.

Wedding preparations had been a welcome distraction in the days following Dumbledore's funeral. There were so many things that she had needed to process…the war ahead, the journey she knew the trio was going to take…. It had been a relief to think about nothing but tulle and tuxedos and cakes until she could fall asleep from sheer exhaustion and not think about anything at all.

She hadn't spoken to Harry in private since the funeral. She'd found ways to avoid him, and she knew he had been doing the same. Things were just easier that way. But now, time had run out.

Ginny sighed. "When do you leave?" she said finally. She looked determinedly at the ground as she waited for him to answer.

"Tonight," he replied. "Probably around midnight."

Ginny couldn't help but snort. "Dramatic," she teased.

"Well," Harry said softly, "You know me. Can't resist a dramatic exit."

"Just make sure there's a dramatic entrance to match," Ginny responded, meeting his gaze again.

He nodded ever so slightly and, hesitantly, reached out his hand to grasp hers. "I'll miss you, Gin."

She swallowed. A million thoughts ran through her head, but she finally answered as honestly as she could. "I'll miss you too," she said.

They just looked at each other for a moment, their hands clasped and their eyes locked. Ginny tried to memorize his face and his stare and the feel of his skin. But too quickly it was over, and he was leaning over to give her a quick kiss on the forehead. Then he was standing up, brushing off his dress robes, and turning away. And before Ginny could say anything more, Harry was gone.

Ginny stayed there, curled up in the grass, eyes staring at nothing, for a long while. By the time she got up, her limbs were stiff from lying in the same position for so long. The moon and stars were bright in the sky. She knew that when she went back to the Burrow, Harry, Ron, and Hermione would be gone. She had said her goodbyes to Ron and Hermione before the wedding. They had known they would be leaving soon after the reception ended and hadn't wanted to make a scene.

Ginny walked in the moonlight back to the Burrow. The windows in the house were dark. She let herself in by the back door and slowly climbed the staircase to her bedroom. Her whole body felt numb. She slipped under the covers, still wearing her pale blue cocktail dress, and cried herself to sleep.

The next morning, Draco Malfoy arrived at the Burrow.

_Four years later_

Harry, Ron, and Hermione trudged up the lane to the Burrow. The sun was bright on their faces and their spirits were high. Ron could hardly contain his excitement. He kicked his scuffed-up trainers against the ground, sending a cloud of dust into the air ahead of them.

"Ron!" Hermione said, but an amused smile was spreading across her face. Ron was so unabashedly _happy_ that it would have taken a harder heart than Hermione's to chastise him today.

"What is it, you big fun-sucker, hm?" Ron teased, grinning and skipping up ahead.

"_Fun-sucker_?" Hermione exclaimed, turning incredulously to Harry.

Harry laughed aloud. "Good one, mate! Really great at insults, you are!" he called to Ron. Ron beamed at him from up the lane and sent him a rude hand gesture.

Harry rolled his eyes at Hermione. "Your boyfriend's a regular comedian." He sidled close to her in mock confidentiality. "Are you _sure_ you want to be shacking up with him now we're back? It was all well and good back in deserted forests, but now you've got the whole British male population at your feet. Bigger pond, ya know!"

"I can hear you, you wanker!" Ron called back.

Harry laughed as Hermione shoved him playfully. "I'm quite fine with the comedian I've got, I should think," she said, chuckling to herself. Ron bounded back down the lane to meet them and planted a kiss on Hermione's cheek.

"Come on, you two! You would think by your pace that I was the only one doing any walking all these years."

"After the journey we've had, I'll never walk again," Harry said decidedly.

"Well I, for one, will be happy to put my feet up and have this one bring me tea and sandwiches," Ron said, prodding Hermione on the shoulder.

Harry whistled at the look on Hermione's face. "I sincerely hope you're joking, mate," he said laughingly.

"Yes, Ron, you had better be joking!" Hermione agreed, giving her boyfriend a swift slap on the arm.

"Ow! Ow, woman! Of course I was joking, sheesh!"

Harry laughed at his friends' antics, looking up as the Burrow came into full view before them.

"Merlin, I've missed this house," Ron said, following Harry's gaze.

"Yeah," Hermione replied, when Harry didn't respond. She glanced at his expression and flashed him a knowing smile. "I think we've all missed a lot of things."

Just then, a homely figure came out of the Burrow door and stood before it, raising a hand to its eyes to make out the people coming up the lane.

"MUM!" Ron called, breaking into a run. He covered the last few yards of the lane in moments and enveloped the shocked figure in a bear hug.

"R-r-on…?" Mrs. Weasley stammered, unable for a few seconds to comprehend that it was her youngest son in her arms. "RON! Oh Merlin, Ron! Is it really you!" She broke their embrace to catch his face between her hands. "Praise Merlin, it _is_ you! My darling!" She grasped him in her arms again, and then suddenly noticed Harry and Hermione arriving at the end of the lane.

"Harry! Hermione! Dears! Come here!" She opened her arms, and Harry and Hermione joined the hug.

"Molly, Molly, are you alright?" A frantic Mr. Weasley came barreling out of the house, wand in hand. He stopped dead at the sight before him.

"They're home, Arthur! Our babies are home!" Mrs. Weasley said, tears filling her eyes.

Harry grinned widely as Mr. Weasley's expression faded from panic into surprised joy. He had missed Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, there was no doubt about that, but in spite of himself, Harry found his eyes sliding again and again to the Burrow door…hoping someone else would come running out.

A few minutes later, Mrs. Weasley had bustled them all into the sitting room.

"Here you are – tea!" She squeezed between the couches and armchairs, carrying a tray of mismatched tea things. "And, Ron, I've got your favourite biscuits in the oven, dear!" She set the tray down on the table and settled herself down beside her son on the couch.

"I've sent an Owl to all of your brothers, telling them you've returned," said Mr. Weasley. "We'd heard rumours that it was all over, and of course we noticed the changes beginning a few weeks ago…."

"People stopped going missing, that was the most obvious thing…unsavory characters started to disappear…that sort of thing," interjected Mrs. Weasley excitedly.

"But it's such a relief to have the three of you home safe again. And to hear that you succeeded after going through so much! It's absolutely the best news we've ever gotten," finished Mr. Weasley, grinning widely and patting Harry, who was sitting beside him, heartily on the back.

"It's great to be back, Mr. Weasley," Harry said, taking a gulp of his tea.

"So when will Bill, Charlie, Gred, and Forge be arriving, then?" said Ron, rattling off his brothers' names with hearty affection. "And what about Ginny – did you let her know as well?"

Hermione's gaze darted to Harry at the sound of Ginny's name. He rolled his eyes at her and continued to sip his tea with careful concentration.

"Oh, I invited Ginny for dinner tonight, what a coincidence! She'll be so excited – absolutely thrilled – to see all of you! She just went out to Diagon Alley to grab a few groceries for me for tonight. And now we can make it a big family gathering – your brothers will be here, it'll be wonderful!" Mrs. Weasley gushed.

Just then, there was a "bing" from the kitchen. "Biscuits!" she exclaimed, rising quickly.

"Let me help you, dear," Mr. Weasley said, rising himself. "I'll get the plates out." The two of them bustled into the kitchen, and the trio could hear the clanging of plates as the Weasley parents prepared the biscuits.

"Mmm, I've missed these biscuits," Ron said, rubbing his stomach in anticipation. He glanced over at Harry and narrowed his eyes. "Aw, stop brooding, mate."

"Hmm…I'm not brooding!" Harry insisted, setting down his mug as if to prove that he was _not_ utterly and completely distracted.

"Harry," Hermione said, patting his hand. "Why don't you go to Diagon Alley? We both know you're not going to be able to concentrate on anything until you've seen her."

"Yeah, mate," Ron added, taking a big swig of his tea. "Go ahead. Try not to kill her with surprise, though, alright?"

Harry tried to laugh off their suggestion. "Your mum and dad are being so kind. I can't just leave!" he protested.

"Excuses, excuses," groaned Ron. "Look, mate, I'm sure they'll understand. We'll let them know where you've gone. We can even say you're going to 'help her bring back the groceries' if you like," he said smugly.

Harry rolled his eyes, but he had to admit that their suggestion was very, very attractive. He looked from Ron's self-satisfied face to Hermione's imploring one, and caved.

"I guess I would like to see her," he said slowly.

"Go, go, go, go, go!" Hermione said, urging Harry to his feet.

"Okay, okay!" Harry said, laughing. "I'll go! Tell your mum thanks so much for the tea and I'll be back with Gin in a bit, okay?"

"Sure thing, mate!" Ron said, giving Harry a mock salute.

Harry grinned at his friends, rolled his eyes at their eager looks, and hurried out of the sitting room. He crossed the protective barrier around the house in seconds and Disapparated.

"Ooookay, biscuits!" Mrs. Weasley said, coming back into the room with a plate piled high with still-smoking pastries.

"Where's Harry?" Mr. Weasley said, placing a stack of assorted plates on the table and settling himself back in his armchair.

"EeesegomaseeGimney," Ron explained, shoveling biscuits into his mouth.

"What's that, dear?" Mrs. Weasley said, fussing over him with a napkin.

"What Ron means," Hermione translated, smiling and shaking her head at Ron, "is that he went to Diagon Alley to see Ginny. He's really been looking forward to seeing her, and he thought she might need help with the groceries."

Mrs. Weasley stopped suddenly. She and Mr. Weasley exchanged a sharp glance.

"Mmm?" Ron said, looking quizzically from one parent to the other.

Harry appeared in a little street off Diagon Alley, shaking his head to steady himself in his new surroundings. He hurried up onto the busy main street. It was thronging with witches and wizards, many of whom were towing little ones along by the hand. It was just as it had been before the war. Many of the shops were different, of course, the original owners having disappeared or moved away in recent years, but the general ambience was so nostalgic that Harry stopped for a moment to take it all in. The sun was shining brightly down on the midday shoppers, the sounds of chatter and laughter echoed off the buildings…Harry even noticed a group of little boys with their noses pressed up against the glass display of a broomstick shop a few storefronts down. He grinned at the sight.

Now, to find Ginny. "Alright…groceries, grocieries," he muttered to himself. He had no idea where groceries were generally bought in Diagon Alley nor even if there was a specific shop or if people just bought from the street vendors. He really ought to have asked Mrs. Weasley before he left, he decided. Ah well, too late now. He would just have to wander until he saw her, he supposed. Shouldn't be too hard, what with that shock of long red hair to recognize her by.

He began to walk, musing as he went. He hoped she had kept her hair long over the years – he had loved how the light reflected off it when it fell in a long, straight sheet down her back. In fact, he hoped she hadn't changed at all. Of course, he knew she would be older, that was a given. And he knew she would be just as beautiful, he had no doubts about that. Merlin, that girl couldn't make herself unattractive if she tried! No, he was sure she would be beautiful, with her red hair and her adorable freckles and her porcelein-clear skin. But he hoped she would still be the happy, fiercely independent person he had left those four years ago. He hoped the long years of war hadn't changed that about her. And most of all, though Harry tried hard to squelch the thought, he hoped that she still felt something for him.

They had been so happy as a couple for that short, sweet time at Hogwarts. He had tried hard to distance himself from her the summer of Fleur and Bill's wedding. He had thought it would dampen their feelings so the goodbyes wouldn't be so hard. But that night under the tree…he had known it hadn't worked at all. They had still been in love, and yet left the words unspoken. As if not saying it made the leaving any easier. As if not saying it changed anything at all.

But now he was back, Harry thought, steering his mind back to happier territory. He was back, and _his_ feelings, at least, were unchanged. Maybe they could pick up where they had left off, and if that was a little too optimistic…well, Harry had had only optimism to live on for the past four years. He had to see her.

He wove his way through the crowd, muttering quick "Excuse me, pardon me,"s as he was jostled by plump matrons and happy couples and wizened gentlemen. And then, quite suddenly, there was Ginny.

She was standing on the other side of the street, examining some sort of fruit at a vendor's cart. She was wearing a pair of denim shorts, a t-shirt, and an old pair of trainers. Her face was turned a little to the side, so Harry could see her profile. She was just as utterly breathtaking as he remembered. She looked so…vibrant, her red hair falling midway down her back and catching the golden sunlight. Her eyes were bright with carefree energy. Just as he remembered.

Harry started across the street, his heart pounding like a jackhammer in his chest. What was he going to say? He didn't know, and at this moment he didn't care. He knew the words would come.

And then, before Harry quite knew what was happening, a man came up behind Ginny and wrapped his arms around her torso. A smile lit up her face and she turned to face him. The man planted a kiss on her forehead and she returned it full on the lips, laughing aloud. She wrapped one arm around his neck and showed him the fruit she had picked.

Harry stopped dead. His breath caught in his throat.

As Ginny and the man moved toward the vendor to pay for the fruit, the man's face turned a little and came into Harry's view. The blonde hair…the long nose…the pale skin…. The man with his arm draped familiarly around Ginny Weasley was Draco Malfoy.

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><p>Author's Note: So there it is! The prologue! What did you think? Any thoughtscomments/suggestions at all would be very much appreciated. Please review – I love feedback! Love, mugglehugger.


	2. First Encounters

Author's Note: Hello, everyone! Here's Chapter 1…I hope you like it :) I know it's a little on the short side, but I wanted to get something up for you all to read, and I'll have the next one posted asap! Please review at the end – I love reviews!

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: First Encounters<strong>

"_Rap! Rap! Rap!_" Ginny jolted awake, mind racing. It took her a moment to orient herself. She was in bed, still wearing her blue dress from last night's wedding party. The clock on her wall read four o'clock. It was still dark outside her window. What in Merlin's name…?

Just then, she heard the muffled sounds of voices filtering up from downstairs and was immediately alert. She grabbed her wand from her bedside table and tiptoed to the door, carefully avoiding the places on her bedroom floor that she knew creaked. She opened her door, crossed the hall, and slowly made her way down the staircase, the voices getting louder and clearer as she went.

"It's just for the summer…until things quiet down." Ginny's body sagged a little in relief – it was Lupin.

"I don't trust him – _or her_!" Ginny heard her mother say in a harsh whisper. "After what that boy's done, Remus!"

"He didn't want any of this, Molly, you know that!" said a woman's voice that Ginny didn't recognize.

"It was only possible because of him, Nar—."

Ginny rounded the corner and the conversation stopped short. A small group was gathered around the kitchen table, and from the light of Charlie's wand, which he was holding up in the center of the group, Ginny could make out their faces. Her parents were on one side of the table; her mum was leaning forward angrily and her dad had one hand on her shoulder, holding her back. Charlie stood in the middle, and beside him was Lupin, who looked weary, as always.

On the other side of the table, standing very straight, was a blonde woman that Ginny had never seen before. And behind her, one hand protectively on the woman's arm…. Ginny's stomach dropped in angry surprise. Malfoy.

"Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, still keeping her voice to a whisper. "What are you doing up?"

Before Ginny could answer, Lupin said calmly, "Ginny, I believe you know Mr. Malfoy."

Ginny's eyes flicked over to the tall, slender figure. She nodded. "What is he doing here?" she said slowly, keeping her voice low and steady.

There was a long pause, during which Mrs. Weasley visibly attempted to collect herself. "Remus and Mrs. Malfoy," she said, her voice finally calm, "would like Draco to stay with us for a while."

"Why?" she said, her voice a whisper.

"It isn't safe for him to be where the He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has access to him," Remus said. "The Dark Lord is angry that he failed in the Astronomy Tower. It is only a matter of time before he sets Draco an impossible task that will result in his death in order to punish him for his failure. He will stay here, under the Order's protection…if your parents consent. He could be disguised as Ron, if anyone were to come calling," Remus added. "The ghoul plan could be dispensed with."

A pause. "So he's running away?" Ginny responded finally, looking straight at Draco.

"Not running away," Narcissa Malfoy said, her eyes blazing. "My son is no coward."

"Yes." Draco's voice cut in; it was quiet, but his words were crisp and clear. "I am running away." He looked straight back at Ginny, meeting her gaze head-on. "But what else would you have me do?"

For all that Ginny expected anger to swell inside her and a thousand retorts to spring to her lips, none came. Instead, to her great surprise, she felt like crying. Ron and Hermione and Harry…confusing, frustrating, noble, _wonderful_ Harry…were gone, and Draco Malfoy was here in their stead. It was so incredibly _wrong_.

She stared back at Draco without saying anything, and for a long moment there was silence as they all waited for her to respond. Finally, she turned on her heel and walked slowly back up the stairs.

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><p>Ginny lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. She was thinking of Harry. It had been funny, really. Her feelings for Harry had developed over so many years of her life that when they were finally a couple it had just felt…natural and comfortable. She knew that everyone thought of her as a fireball with a fierce temper and strong opinions, but with Harry she had been calm. She had always been talkative – as the youngest child she had had to speak up to be heard – but with Harry she had never felt so content with silence.<p>

She still heard the quiet buzz of conversation from downstairs. It went on for nearly an hour more, but Ginny knew her mother would cave. Mrs. Weasley could never turn away a boy in danger. Especially not now, when her own son was Merlin knows where.

Sure enough, she soon heard the Burrow door open and then close. Then the sound of four sets of footsteps on the stairs. A few quiet whispers in the hall outside her bedroom door, which quickly faded as the group moved down the hall.

Draco Malfoy would be staying.

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><p>When Ginny woke a few hours later, sun was streaming in through her bedroom window and she could hear the familiar sound of birds chirping outside. Had last night really happened? How could everything feel so normal and yet be so different?<p>

She sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes, and slid her feet into her fuzzy slippers. A shower. That's what she needed first…to clear her head. She grabbed a towel, a pair of shorts, and a ratty Holyhead Harpies t-shirt and headed to the bathroom.

The hall was clear outside, but she could hear her mum cooking breakfast in the kitchen below. Bill and Fleur would have left for their newly acquired beachside cottage after the wedding, but Charlie, Fred, and George must still be around somewhere, probably still sleeping. At the door to the bathroom, Ginny paused. A small staircase to her right led to the top of the house, where Ron's room was, and where Malfoy now slept.

In the shower, Ginny considered their new…guest. He was a foul git, obviously, and she didn't like him. He had taken every opportunity to annoy and undermine her and everyone she cared about at school. And that was nothing compared to the things his father had done! Lucius Malfoy had planted that book…that terrible book…for her to find in her first year…. Ginny stopped herself short. She didn't think about that. Ever.

But in any case, Lucius Malfoy was a horrible man, and even if Draco wasn't quite as evil as him yet, he could be soon. But then…didn't that excuse Draco, at least a little? He had been surrounded by horrible, evil people for his entire life. He had been _used_ and _manipulated_ by them, even. Was it any wonder he was cold and unfriendly? Wasn't it actually amazing that he wasn't worse?

Ginny puzzled over this as she washed off all the dirt and tears of the previous night. By the time she stepped out of the shower, steam had filled the room, and she cracked open the small, high window to let in some of the cool summer breeze.

She dressed, and as she brushed out her long hair she considered her face in the mirror over the sink. Her eyes were a little swollen from crying, and she was still as pale as ever, even in the midst of summer.

Finally, she gathered up her towel and last night's blue dress and opened the door, only to see Malfoy descending the staircase before her. He was hunched a little to keep his carefully combed blonde hair from brushing the ceiling, and he was wearing dark pants and a dress shirt rolled up to his elbows. He looked very…well-bred…Ginny decided, and completely and totally out of place in the familiarity of the Burrow.

He was looking at her with raised eyebrows that Ginny interpreted as uncertainty, although it could have easily been disdain. She realized that she had left her feelings about his presence rather ambiguous last night. Then again, she wasn't sure herself what she thought about him being there.

"You've somehow convinced Remus and my parents and even Charlie, who never believes anyone, that you're trustworthy," she said finally, "so I suppose I'll have to go along with it."

He nodded. "Not exactly a ringing endorsement," he observed drily, "but your caution is understandable."

"But if you try to my family in danger, or if you do anything to put Harry in harm's way," she continued, looking him straight in the eye. "I will make bloody well sure it's the last thing you do."

His lips twitched a little, but when he answered, his voice was solemn. "I'm not here to hurt any of you. I swear it."

Ginny snorted. "Your word doesn't mean much," she observed.

He glared at her. "Malfoys never break their word."

"Fine," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. She sighed. "Mum's probably got breakfast ready downstairs," she said finally. "But you'd better change first," she added, "You look ridiculous…you're not visiting the bloody Minister of Magic."

Malfoy looked at her in surprise, and then, quite suddenly, he burst out laughing. Ginny was rather taken aback. His laugh was much…happier…than Ginny would have expected. She realized she had never heard him laugh before. It was full and…dare she say, bubbly?

"I'll change, shall I?" he said when he had stopped laughing. He was still smiling, and Ginny had to keep herself from doing the same. She pressed her lips firmly together and just nodded, turned on her heel, and marched away down the hall.

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><p>Downstairs, everyone else in the house had already gathered around the table.<p>

"Morning, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, setting down another plate of scrambled eggs on the table.

Ginny slid into her usual chair. "Morning," she said, reaching for the _Daily Prophet_. "Any…any news?" she said, trying to sound nonchalant as she flicked through the pages of the newspaper.

"No, Gin," Mr. Weasley, said, glancing at his wife. "They only left a few hours ago, after all."

"Mmm," Ginny nodded, taking a sip of orange juice. George put his hand on her shoulder.

"At least the ferret is here to be tortured, eh Ginnykins?" Fred said.

Ginny snorted. "Silver lining, hm?"

"Exactly," Fred quipped.

Ginny shook her head amusedly and started buttering a piece of toast. "You two seem awfully good-natured about this whole situation."

Fred and George shrugged simultaneously. "We've all got to follow the Order's orders, haven't we?" Fred said.

"If our baby Ronniekins can go out into the wilderness, we can bloody well put up with that colourless twit for a few months, we suppose," George added.

"Charlie, are you planning on heading out today?" Mrs. Weasley cut in.

"Yes, straight away after breakfast, if you don't mind," Charlie said. "Can I take some of this to go, d'ya think?"

"Oh, of course!" Mrs. Weasley said, getting up again to grab some containers. "Take as much as you like, dear. I don't have a high opinion of your cooking abilities, if you don't mind my saying," she said, laughingly tousling her second son's hair. "Take as much as you like."

Just then, Draco appeared at the bottom of the staircase. He had changed into jeans and a plain black t-shirt that made his skin look even paler.

"Good morning," he said, cooly.

"Here's a seat, dear," said Mrs. Weasley, whose motherly protectiveness seemed to have taken over during the course of the night. She flicked her wand and a chair whizzed into the kitchen and situated itself beside Ginny.

"Thank you," Draco said, sitting down. Ginny noticed that he sat very straight, carefully not leaning against the back of his seat. She couldn't help smirking.

"Draco," Mr. Weasley said, rather awkwardly, "eggs?"

"Yes, thank you," Draco replied. There was silence as Draco scooped some eggs onto his plate.

"Well," Fred said, breaking the silence, "Charlie, any progress on that Ridgeback you were struggling with?"

Charlie, whose face brightened the mention of his work, cleared his throat and launched into a detailed explanation of his recent breakthrough.

"Molly," Mr. Weasley said, turning to his wife, "Have you heard from Nymphadora recently?"

With the rest of her family distracted, Ginny turned to Draco. "What did I say about the Minister of Magic," she demanded.

Draco looked back at her, affronted. "I changed, didn't I?"

"Yes, yes," Ginny said impatiently, "but you're sitting like you've got your wand up your rear."

Draco nearly choked on his mouthful of eggs. "I'm sitting how I was taught," he said finally, but he leaned back a little against chairback and crossed his arms defiantly. "And don't they teach any manners at all in this godforsaken place?" he added, smirking at her cheekily.

Ginny grinned. So he was the same old insulting ferret she had always known. She raised her eyebrows at him and smiled archly. "No," she replied decisively.

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><p>Author's Note: So...what do you think? I'm planning on writing writing several chapters about the development of Ginny and Draco's relationship before I shift back to the present dayHarry's return. Any thoughts on that structure? I would love feedback! Much love, mugglehugger.


	3. A Welcome Distraction

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay...I had final exams and things over the past few weeks so I didn't have much time to write. But now I'm back! Thanks for being patient – here's chapter 2, hope you like it!

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: A Welcome Distraction<strong>

Ginny looked up at the sky through the pond water, blowing bubbles out of her mouth and waving her arms in great circles to keep herself underwater. It had been three weeks and four days since Harry, Ron, and Hermione's departure from the Burrow. They still hadn't received any news…no Owls with letters…not even a scrap of a note or a token from the trio to let them know that the mission was going well and that they were safe. Ginny exhaled all of her breath and sank even lower into the pond. She missed them…all of them, of course. But she kept thinking about those last few weeks with Harry, the last time she had felt truly and completely happy.

Her vision of the sky was suddenly obscured by a large black shape. She burst out of the water. The first thought of her wartime mind was of how stupid she had been to leave her wand with her clothes and towel on the big log a few feet from the water's edge.

She frantically brushed the water from her eyes, but even before she had fully regained her vision she could tell that there had been no need for alarm. It was Draco.

"Bloody hell! What are you doing here?" she exclaimed.

"I've been walking by this pond every day for the past two weeks," he said calmly, stepping back from the water's edge to avoid being splashed as droplets of water sprayed toward him. "And you," he added wryly, raising his eyebrows ever so slightly, "looked like you were drowning. And you shouldn't swear, Weasley. It's not ladylike."

Ginny shot him a glare. "I wasn't drowning," she grumbled.

"I can see that."

Ginny scowled. She wished she could wipe that smug look right off his face. His hair was as neat and blonde-white as ever, but Ginny noticed that his skin seemed to have lost some of its sickly pallor during the past few weeks. Perhaps it was these supposed walks of his. He certainly seemed to be dressed for a walk…or at least as much as Malfoy was ever dressed for outdoor activity. Jeans and a light linen button-down, rolled up to his elbows.

Suddenly very aware of her own appearance, Ginny sank back into the water until it covered her swimming top and bare shoulders. Again she wished she had left her things closer to the water's edge.

"I didn't know you were taking walks," Ginny said, suddenly aware that she didn't know much at all about how Draco filled his days at the Burrow. She had seen him at meals during the past three weeks; the awkwardness had lessened considerably around the table. Draco wasn't nearly as rowdy as Fred and George, but he was part of the general conversation now. But afterwards he retreated upstairs to Ron's old room and shut the door, and Ginny kept mostly to herself these days anyway. She had started reading some of the books Hermione had given her on Christmases over the years…she'd never touched them before but now they were a welcome distraction.

"I need to get out of your house," Draco said. "It's very…cramped."

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "I'm sure it feels that way," she quipped, "what with your huge ego and all."

Draco smirked appreciatively. "I need to get away from everything," he said finally, and Ginny was rather surprised at the openness of his answer. "It clears my head."

"Well," Ginny said equally, "the pond's a great place for that. The garden gnomes hardly ever bother you here. Sometimes they'll throw pebbles at you while you swim, but it's not so bad." Ginny grinned at Malfoy's skeptical expression. "My brothers and I used to come here all the time," she continued cheerfully. "Bill taught me how to swim here. I nearly drowned once…over there," she pointed to the far side of the pond where the water was deeper.

Seeming to decide that this conversation was going to continue a while longer, Draco cleared a small area of the larger pebbles with his shoe and sat down, cross-legged with his arms extended back to support himself.

"My mum never let me near water," he said. "I have absolutely no idea how to swim."

Ginny's jaw dropped. "You have got to be joking."

Draco grinned at the expression on her face. "Swear to Merlin," he said. "We actually had a big indoor swimming pool at the manor, but Mum absolutely _hates_ water – I think she must have had a drowning scare when she was little and not recovered quite as well as you apparently have – and she had it emptied out and we used to have dancing in there during parties."

Ginny was eyeing him skeptically now. "You're making this up," she said slowly.

"I'm not!" Draco said.

"Well what would you have done if you'd fallen into the lake when we took those boats in first year?" Ginny waded closer to the edge of the pond and rested her forearms on land.

"Drowned," replied Draco matter-of-factly.

Ginny laughed aloud and Draco grinned. "Naw, perfect little Potter would've definitely jumped right in to save me," he said, rolling his eyes.

Ginny sobered at the mention of Harry. "Yes, well, he probably would have," she said, rather defensively. She wasn't really in the mood to joke about Harry's heroics when he was out somewhere, probably in danger. There was an awkward pause.

"Sorry," Draco said finally. Ginny suddenly felt bad for ruining the moment. They'd been having an at least civil conversation.

"Yeah, I guess he was a pretty good swimmer," she replied, because she couldn't think of anything else to say, "I never brought him here, but he did do well during the Tri-Wizard, so I suppose…." She trailed off. What was she going on about?

She looked back at Draco to find that he was staring at her very intently. "Well you really do miss the scarfaced git, don't you?" he said, laughing when Ginny scowled at him. "What? You can't expect me to stop calling him names! It's practically second nature by now."

Ginny shot him her most withering glare, but she smiled a little. "I guess I do," she answered.

Draco rolled his eyes. "You two make me want to retch," he said. "But would he have been your bait, do you think?" he added curiously.

Ginny looked at him quizzically. "Oh, whatever they called them…the people they had to rescue down at the bottom of the lake…the ones they cared for the most."

Ginny shrugged. "Or maybe Ron," she said, "Although he does always steal my broom when we're at home, so…a toss-up, really."

Draco laughed. He looked up at the sky thoughtfully. "Mine would probably have been my mum," he said, "Or maybe Pansy."

"Where is your mum anyway?" Ginny said. "Isn't it going to be dangerous for her…once Voldemort starts looking for you?"

Draco cringed at Voldemort's name. Ginny rolled her eyes. "She's probably going to pretend I've run away. Or that I've come down with a terribly contagious illness. The Dark Lord is pretty squemish about diseases."

Ginny laughed. "So many surprises," she said. Draco smiled weakly, but Ginny could tell that thinking about his mother had brought up a whole host of worries that he had probably been coming on walks to avoid. _Nice, Gin_, she thought to herself.

"Well I'll teach you," Ginny said suddenly, her face brightening.

"Excuse me?"

"To swim…I'll teach you to swim!"

Draco laughed at her sudden enthusiasm. "No," he said, "I don't need you to take me on as your pet project."

Ginny looked at him seriously. "It's not a project. I need a distraction, you need a distraction and the ability to stay afloat in times of crisis and in the presence of perfectly reasonable bodies of water. It's a bargain."

He considered for a moment, then raised his eyes skyward in resignation. "You're going to be the death of me," he grumbled, but he stood and unbuttoned his shirt and took of his jeans, revealing a pair of black boxers beneath. He carefully folded his clothes and placed them on the log with his wand.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'm not getting any younger over here!" she said teasingly. Draco flashed her a glare.

He approached the pond and swung down so he was seated on the edge with his legs dangling into the water.

"Well get in!" Ginny said. "It's only about four feet deep here."

Draco seemed to hesitate for a moment, and Ginny abruptly grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him into the water. He fell in with a great splash and surfaced sputtering. "Bloody hell, woman!" he exclaimed.

Ginny smiled at him innocently. "You shouldn't swear, Malfoy. It's not ladylike."

Draco laughed aloud. He wiped the water from his eyes and, in one swift movement, slicked his wet hair back to near-perfect neatness. He looked back at her archly. "There. Now what?"

* * *

><p>"Well," Ginny said as Draco righted himself and rested his arms on the pond's edge. "I guess we should head back in soon. It's getting dark."<p>

"I'll say," Draco replied, glancing over at Ginny, who was now floating on her back to look at the last colors of the sunset and the first stars. "Why anyone would want to swim is beyond me."

Ginny snorted. "If your yacht ever overturns you'll thank me."

"What makes you think we own a yacht?" Draco countered.

Ginny didn't look up. "Well. Don't you?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Well yes, actually, we do."

Now Ginny laughed aloud. "Spoiled prat."

"Penniless brat," he responded, not missing a beat.

"Fair enough," Ginny said, grinning.

Draco smiled. "Well my pool may have been empty, but at least I know how to ballroom dance."

"Well I guess you'll have to teach me sometime," Ginny replied.

They were silent for a while as the early night sounds filled the air around them. Finally Draco pushed himself out of the water. Ginny got out after him and wrapped her towel around herself.

"I'll remember to bring a towel next time?" he said, turning to her. Something about the way he said it made Ginny realize that he was asking if these lessons would be continuing.

"Yeah," she said, smiling at him. "Good idea."

He nodded and pulled his jeans on over his wet legs, opting to carry his shirt as they walked back toward the house.

As the Burrow came into view, Ginny could make out a figure – either Fred or George (she couldn't tell at this distance) – pacing on the front porch. Ginny's stomach dropped, and she broke into a run.

"What is it?" she said as she came within speaking distance. Draco came up beside her and she realized that he had been running too. "Have you heard from them?"

"No," George replied, "Nothing like that. Can I talk to you though, Gin? _Alone_?"

"Thank you for the lesson, Ginny," Draco said, suddenly much more formal than he had been at the pond. He nodded to George and entered the house.

George waited a few moments for Draco to move away from the door and then turned to his sister. "Where in Merlin's name have you been, Ginny!" he exclaimed.

Ginny was taken aback. "At the pond. I'm teaching Malfoy how to swim." She tried to sound calm and matter-of-fact, as if spending an afternoon teaching Draco Malfoy how to stay afloat was the most natural thing in the world.

"Fred and I were about to go looking for you! You and that git both gone for hours! We were beginning to think he'd kidnapped you or something!"

Ginny rolled her eyes and pushed past George into the house. "For Merlin's sake, George, we ran into each other at the pond and I offered to teach him how to swim. We live in the same bloody house…is it all that shocking that we might end up spending time together?"

"Well yeah, actually, Ginny! He hasn't exactly been best friends with any of us, has he?"

"Are we really going to have this argument, George?" Ginny countered, trying hard to keep her voice low. "I'm sorry I didn't Owl you to tell you what time I'd be home," she added sarcastically.

George rolled his eyes heavenward. Then he looked at her, resigned. "Fine, but you really ought to be…on your guard…around him. Okay? Even if he's not going to kidnap you…you don't think twice about befriending people, Gin, and he wouldn't think twice about hurting you."

Ginny put her hand on George's arm. "Okay," she said finally. "I'll be careful."

"That's all I'm asking," George replied.

Ginny sighed and patted her brother on the arm before heading up the stairs. She realized she must have missed dinner, and George's worry suddenly seemed much more reasonable. Well, she would shower and then have something to eat before bed. But anyway, he seemed to be worried that she was going to form some kind of close personal bond with Draco Malfoy.

Ginny snorted and rolled her eyes at her brother's overprotectiveness. Really, what were the chances of that?

* * *

><p>Author's Note: So what do you think? Just a lot of DracoGinny bonding in this chapter. I'd really love your feedback Please review – I want to know what you think! I'll probably have chapter 3 up this weekend. Love, mugglehugger.


	4. The Kiss that Didn't Happen

A/N: Thank you for the reviews – you guys are the best! :) This is a long chapter, so I hope you enjoy…

Chapter 3: The Kiss that Didn't Happen

Over the next four weeks, Ginny taught Draco how to float and then how to tread water and finally how to do a few strokes. With their lessons as a distraction from her fears about the trio, Ginny's days fell into a more or less comfortable routine. She ate breakfast, then read for a few hours in her room or went flying by herself, and then shortly after lunch she and Malfoy would meet at the pond.

Today, however, Fred had challenged Ginny to a game of chess on the lawn.

"Bollocks!" George cried. "Where is that confounded Rook?"

"Swearing, George!" Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen, where she was directing the plates to wash themselves up after breakfast.

"That nasty little bugger is always hiding…somewhere," Fred agreed, upturning couch cushions and peering inside decorative teacups.

"And whose fault is that?" Ginny asked, raising her eyebrows at a suddenly very innocent-looking Fred.

"Well," he replied defensively, "Just because I charmed him to try to escape bondage doesn't mean I expected him to become the bloody hide-and-seek world champion!"

"Fred, _swearing_!" Mrs. Weasley's voice interjected once more, this time slightly higher pitched.

"Yes, you two, listen to your mother," chimed in Mr. Weasley from an armchair. He was sweating through his shirt and reading the paper (it being Saturday). "This _does_, however, make a case for buying a new set," he added, attempting nonchalance. "Perhaps a Muggle one this time?"

Ginny glanced at her brothers and they all had to work at stifling their laughs. Their dad had been trying to get his hands on a muggle chess set for years and years, and he could never quite seem to bring the rest of the family around to his level of enthusiasm.

"They'll just charm those too, Arthur," Mrs. Weasley called. Mr. Weasley sighed theatrically and returned to the Prophet.

Ginny cleared her throat. "Anything in there, Dad?" she said, trying to sound uninterested.

Mr. Weasley folded down the top of the paper and shook his head at her. "Sorry, dear, nothing."

"Aw, Gin," George said, coming over and ruffling her hair, "You've been asking if there's news about five times a day for months now."

"Not to mention every time you leave the house you come barrelling in asking if you've missed any important Owls," Fred added.

Mrs. Weasley came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. "If we hear from Harry, dear, you'll be the first to know," she said, smiling encouragingly. Ginny wondered at her mother's reference to Harry – just Harry – when Ginny was a hundred percent sure that she'd been careful to ask for news of _the trio_ every time. Perhaps she'd slipped up once by accident.

"Plus," Fred continued brightly, "don't you think that if the great Harry Potter had been wounded or killed, old Voldy would be sure to plaster the news all over the Prophet?"

"Fred!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. "Don't say things like that!"

"Really, though," George said, coming to the defence of his twin, "If Harry had been hurt he'd make sure we all knew about it. Hell, if any of the Death Eaters managed to give Harry so much as a papercut he'd advertise it everywhere!"

Ginny couldn't help laughing a little. "All right, all right," she said. "Now where the bloody hell," she shot the twins a mischevious look, "is that Rook?"

"Ginny too!" Mrs. Weasley said. Fred and George burst out laughing.

"Maybe in Ron's room?" Fred suggested. "You and dear Ronniekins play up there sometimes, don't you?" he said, nodding in Ginny's direction.

"Come to think of it," she said, "I think I remember it hopping off when we were clearing up a game last time we played. Hang on…."

Ginny bounded up the stairs. She didn't even hesitate before knocking on Ron's, now Draco's, door. Hours at the pool and the admittedly hilarious experience of watching him splutter and nearly drown on a daily basis had caused a certain familiarity to develop. Ginny might go so far as to say that they were something like friends.

"Draco," she called, knocking continuously on the door because she knew it would annoy him. "Draco!"

"Merlin, woman, what do you want!" Draco called impatiently from the other side of the door.

Ginny took that as an invitation to come inside and swung open the door. "I'm looking for the blasted Rook," she said by way of explanation as she immediately got down on all fours and reached her arm beneath Ron's dresser.

Draco was sitting on the bed, observing her wryly over the top of a book.

"The Rook," Ginny said, "the Chess Rook. One of the ones from our set is always running away."

"Why don't you just 'Accio it,' as it were," Draco asked, still not moving from the bed.

"'Cause Fred charmed it. It'll stay on the board if you're playing the game – albeit reluctantly – but the moment the game's over it'll run away and hide. And it can't be found magically. Where is it!" Ginny got up from the floor, giving up on the dresser, and surveyed the room.

Draco didn't seem to have made many changes, though she noticed that it was considerably neater than it was when Ron was inhabiting it. Draco's trunk was positioned at the foot of the bed and there was a stack of unfamiliar books on the bedside table, but other than that the exterior of Ron's room seemed relatively untouched.

Ginny's eyes swung around to Draco, who was regarding her intently. "Well?" she said, cocking an eyebrow at him, "Are you going to help me look or not?"

Draco sighed theatrically, but he set his book down and stood. "Thank you," Ginny said primly. "You look under the bed, I'll check the bookshelf."

"Who's playing?" Draco said as they moved to their respective sides of the room.

"Me and Fred. Don't worry, I'll win," Ginny added.

Draco laughed. "Awfully confident, aren't we?"

"I'm just kidding," Ginny said, "We've got a running tally in our family…that's something you should know. Chess is no game at the Burrow. It's a very," she fixed Malfoy with her most serious gaze, "_very_ serious competition."

Draco raised his eyebrows, but settled his face into its most somber expression. "And who's winning?"

"Ron," Ginny sighed. "He's leading Bill by sixteen games."

"I didn't know the Weasel had it in him," Draco mused. Ginny glared at him. "And where are you in the rankings?" Draco smirked.

"Before Fred, after George. It's Ron, Bill, George, me, Fred, Percy, Charlie. But Percy and Charlie aren't really that into it," Ginny listed, counting off her brothers on her fingers.

"Right in the middle," Draco said, "That's a poor showing, Weasley."

"Hey! It's a tough field, Malfoy! I'd like to see you do better."

"I'm sure you would," Draco replied cryptically. Ginny narrowed her eyes at him, but he merely smirked at her.

"_Oi_! Ginny! What's taking so long!" Fred's voice carried up the stairs.

"Still looking!" Ginny called back.

"Found it!" Draco said, standing and holding a struggling rook by the ankle between his thumb and forefinger.

"You bloody scoundrel!" it was yelling. Draco glared at it.

Ginny laughed. "Draco found it!" she yelled. She turned to Draco. "Thanks, you can give it here."

"Do you mind if I come observe?" Draco said. "Maybe I can point out some flaws in your technique." She glowered at him; he smiled back sweetly.

"Fine," Ginny said, "But at a later date I am going to kick your smug little arse and then we'll see who's pointing out flaws in whose technique." She turned and started down the stairs, Draco following in her wake.

"What's this? What's this?" Fred said as Draco came into view behind Ginny at the bottom of the stairs.

"Well, Fred," George said, "It looks like the ferret is leaving his…cave…" – he looked curiously at Fred, who nodded his head to confirm that ferrets did (at least in his opinion) sleep in caves – "for once!"

"Be nice, boys," Mrs. Weasley chastised, shaking her head at the twins.

Over the weeks, Draco's self-imposed isolation had become something of a running joke between the twins. Things were getting worse in Diagon Alley – Death Eaters had taken to roaming the streets – so the twins had temporarily closed down the joke shop. They were bored, and Ginny was a little worried that they'd soon get it in their heads to pull pranks on Malfoy. He was actually getting to be pretty good-natured around her (if somewhat closed off), but she doubted that he'd ever been pranked before and she didn't think he would take it well. He didn't seem like the type to be amused by Fred and George's antics.

"He's on my team," Ginny said, surprising herself by taking Draco's side against the twins. Well, she considered, the twins were a force to be reckoned with and everyone needed allies. "I'm tired of you two always putting your heads together on the other side of the board!"

George shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Fred grinned. "You're going to need all the help you can get, Ginnykins!"

Ginny scowled at the name and gave Draco a significant look (the subtext of which was _you had better help me beat them, you prat_) before following the twins outside.

"A fine day for a walloping!" Fred mused as they arrived at a particularly comfortable looking patch of grass.

"I wouldn't be so confident, Weasley," Draco said, settling himself beside Ginny and depositing the now-grumpy-looking rook onto the board.

Fred moved his first piece, nodding happily at George.

Draco and Ginny both considered the board for a moment. Ginny leaned over and whispered in Draco's ear. He looked thoughtful, then whispered something back. Ginny grinned.

"I don't like the looks of this, Fred," George said.

"Neither do I," George responded.

Two dozen moves later, Ginny laughed gleefully. "Check-bloody-mate!" she cried, sticking her tongue out at the dumbfounded twins.

"But…but…Fred…."

"But…but…George…."

"Put it in the tally!" Ginny continued. She turned to Draco, her face split in a big grin. "We did it!" She launched herself at him in a celebratory hug. He stiffened against her, and Ginny quickly released him. He was wearing an expression of surprise, but he quickly rearranged his features into the usual cool smirk. Ginny supposed that he probably wasn't used to public displays of affection. Not that they were…affectionate with each other…or anything. Ginny mentally shook herself and quickly moved away.

"That is to say…," Ginny said hesitantly, turning back to the twins, "It looks like I've found my new chess partner." The twins didn't even seem to have noticed the spontaneous hug and were recounting their moves to each other in an effort to determine what had gone wrong.

"Well." Ginny brushed her hair out of her face self-consciously. Fred and George looked up, faces set in identical mock scowls that made Ginny laugh.

"We want a re-match!"

"Tomorrow, tomorrow," Ginny laughed. "For now let's get the rook in the box before he escapes."

Ginny reached across the board and grabbed the blasted rook just as he was about to break into a run across the lawn. Wagging her finger at him (he stuck out his tongue at her and scowled), she gathered up the rest of the pieces, threw them in the box and shut the lid firmly. She mumbled a quick sealing spell and heard the frustrated sounds of the rook kicking against the box to no avail.

"Blimey, Malfoy," George commented as the group traipsed back to the house. "You're a pretty formidable foe. Ginny's never played that well before!"

Ginny glared at her brother. A quick glance at Malfoy showed that he was looking her way with an infuriatingly smug look on his face.

"Well she certainly needed the help," he quipped. Ginny turned and punched him on the arm. The twins guffawed.

As they piled into the Burrow, Ginny called to her mother. "Mum, did we get any letters or anything while I was out?"

Ginny could practically feel Fred and George's eyes rolling behind her. "No, dear," Mrs. Weasley responded shortly. Ginny sighed. It had been weeks without news. She felt like her chest was going to burst.

The twins barrelled into the kitchen and immediately began pestering Mrs. Weasley about lunch. Draco nodded wordlessly to Ginny and disappeared up the stairs to his room. Ginny flopped down on one of the armchairs in the living room. Her father was in the same place that he'd been in this morning, only now he was tinkering with some sort of Muggle device.

"So, Dad," Ginny said, "How are your cases at work?"

Two hours later, Ginny stood in her room trying to decide what to do. Mrs. Weasley had announced lunch as usual – it was pasta steeped in a meaty marinara sauce – and had ventured up to the attic to tell Draco that food was ready. But she had returned a moment later and said offhandedly that Draco had politely declined, saying he wasn't hungry.

Ginny hoped this didn't have anything to do with the spontaneous hug she had given him on the lawn. Ginny rolled her eyes at the thought. It had been unexpected of course, and rather awkward, but was it really that big of a deal? They were friends, after all, or something like it, and she'd been helping him learn how to swim for weeks now. It wasn't as though she'd never touched him before.

Ginny absentmindedly straightened some of her books and shoved some of the clothing that she had tossed on the floor on previous days into the hamper. She wondered if Draco was angry. Perhaps hugs were some sort of grevious error in the Malfoys' social circle. Ginny grumbled to herself. What did she care anyway?

But she couldn't help but wonder whether or not they would still have lessons today. Well, either way, she decided, she was still going to go down to the pond. It helped her relax. The place felt so distance from the…ordinary…world that it was easy to forget that Harry was in danger.

Ginny changed quickly into her bathing suit, pulling her shorts and t-shirt on over it. She grabbed her towel and wand and made her way out the house and into the thick woods behind it.

When she came into view of the pond, she was surprised to find that Draco was already there, floating on his back in the water. Ginny couldn't help but smile proudly at the sight; Narcissa Malfoy had apparently ingrained some of her own fear of water in her only son, and it had taken Draco several days to get comfortable enough to float.

"You're late," Draco said without looking up.

"How in Merlin's name did you know I was here!" Ginny grumbled as she got to the edge of the pond and flopped down.

Draco snorted but his eyes remained closed. "You're as loud as the bloody ghoul that lives in your attic."

Ginny glared at him. "I will have you know," she said, shimmying out of shirt and shorts. "that I am a _very_ stealthy individual."

Draco opened his mouth to respond and just then Ginny cannonballed into the pond.

She surfaced, laughing almost uncontrollably, to see a sputtering Malfoy spewing water from his mouth. "You little brat!" he roared, sending Ginny a retaliatory splash.

She turned her back quickly to avoid the worst of it, nearly going under with the force of her laughter. "My…stomach…hurts…," she gasped. "Like I…said…I'm stealthy." Draco was putting on an angry face, but she could see the corners of his lips curving upward.

"I'm going to get you back for that, Weasley," Draco said coolly when Ginny had finally collected herself.

Ginny cocked her head at him, grinning cheekily. "I'd like to see you try. I grew up with Fred and George. I can see a prank coming a mile away. Survival instinct."

"I'll bet," Draco said. "I've seen their little joke shop in Diagon Alley. Looks like they've got some nasty tricks up their sleeves."

"Like you wouldn't believe."

"Try me."

Ginny spent the next several minutes recounting some the twins' best pranks, a collection that spanned nearly a decade and including everything from toothbrushes turning into spiders in Ron's hands to enchanting the dragons on Charlie's pajamas to actually breathe fire. That last one had caused quite a few minor burns, and Mrs. Weasley had been livid. Ginny smiled fondly at the memory.

After a few laps of breast stroke, Ginny had Draco work on his freestyle. She leaned back against the pond edge and watched him swim across the pond. For someone who hadn't been able to float a month ago, Draco was really very graceful in the water. No, she wasn't sure graceful was entirely the right word. He was a strong swimmer, and his arms arched into the water in smooth movements. That was a more apt word. He was a _smooth_ swimmer.

Ginny was so busy studying Malfoy's movements that she hardly noticed when he surfaced a foot away from her and looked at her expectantly.

"Like what you see?" he said cheekily, raising his eyebrows at her.

Ginny collected herself. "You'll survive if you ever fall off that yacht," she returned fluidly, "but I can definitely spot some mistakes in your technique." She grinned.

He laughed and slicked his hair back. "You know, Weasley, you're not a half-bad instructor."

"Wow, don't go overboard with the compliments there, Malfoy. I'm blushing," Ginny said wryly.

"No, I'm serious," Draco replied. "You should think about teaching."

Ginny looked at him curiously. Since the first time they had met at the pond they had avoided talking about anything really serious. They didn't discuss the war. Draco avoided talking about his mother. And Ginny never mentioned Harry. Their conversations had consisted mainly of banter and barbed teasing.

"You'd be better than most of the bloody half-wits they have teaching at Hogwarts now, anyway," Draco added.

Ginny snorted. "Give serious praise and then throw in a backhanded compliment at the end. A real charmer, you are."

Draco laughed again. "I try."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "You know, I've always kind of thought about teaching. Maybe charms or something," she added thoughtfully. "What about you?"

Draco shrugged. "Never really thought about it," he said. "Always figured I'd inherit and then…I dunno…with the war and all I just never really considered anything."

"So you're going to do nothing. Nothing at all," Ginny said skeptically.

"Well don't sound so proud of me," Draco said sarcastically.

"I can't really see you doing nothing," Ginny said finally. She looked out across the pond and to the woods beyond, considering. "You're too…restless. I can't imagine you putting your feet up and letting the world be run by somebody else. That's what it is. You'd want too badly to be in charge of things, I think…."

Ginny stopped herself short, glancing at Draco nervously. Perhaps she'd gone too far. But he was considering her with the strangest look on his face. It was something like…surprise, but with much more intensity. He didn't respond, though, just kept looking at her and she looked back uncertainly.

"What?" she said finally. "What are you looking at? You're freaking me ou…."

She suddenly felt the warm pressure of lips on her own and she would have staggered if she wasn't already being pressed hard against the pond edge. He was _kissing her_. Draco-bleeding-Malfoy was kissing her. Her mind could hardly process the thought.

Just as suddenly he pulled away and stepped back, leaving her stunned against the water's edge.

She couldn't speak for a long moment and just returned his gaze with confusion. Finally she managed words. "What in the bloody hell was that?"

Malfoy's face was blank and inscrutable. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." Ginny's eyes widened. His voice was suddenly so formal, so different from how it had been just a few moments before.

He didn't say anything more, just lifted himself swiftly out of the pond, toweled off quickly and put on his clothing.

"That's it? You're not going to explain that?" Ginny said incredulously as he started to walk away.

He turned suddenly and faced her, and Ginny thought she saw a small smile playing on his bottom lip. "Ginny? That kiss. It never happened." Then he turned on his heel and walked out of sight.

It took Ginny several minutes to fully regain her senses. And then she became very angry. She grabbed her things and stamped off in the direction of the Burrow, mind racing.

What in Merlin's name did that bloody git think he was doing? Where had that kiss even come from? They'd been having a perfectly normal, not at all romantic or sexual, conversation. And then suddenly, out of no where, he had the nerve to stick his tongue down her throat like he owned it.

Ginny stalked into the house and went straight into her room, ignoring her mother's curious glances. She flopped down on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. Sure, mutual worry and lack of other companionship had thrown them together. And they had developed a tentative sort of friendship. Malfoy wasn't all bad; he was a little arrogant and sometimes distant, but he had a wicked sense of humour that matched hers and she appreciated that. But to _kiss her_? _That_ was over the line. And he hadn't even apologized!

Hell, the conceited prat probably thought that his kisses were so bloody wonderful that he could just dole them out to anyone without so much as a word of explanation. Ginny shoved back the traitorous thought that the kiss itself hadn't felt _all_ bad. No, those kinds of thoughts weren't productive. Harry. Noble, wonderful, brilliant Harry was the only person whose kisses she was supposed to think of with any kind of positive feeling.

_Harry_. In a moment, all of Ginny's anger left her. Her stomach dropped. And she realized that this was the first time that she hadn't asked. She had been so caught up thinking about what she should or shouldn't feel about Draco Malfoy's unexpected kiss that she hadn't asked. She hadn't asked if there had been any news. She had forgotten all about it.

A/N: So what do you think? I should really be sleeping right now, but I hit a major writing streak very suddenly and I had to keep writing until the chapter was done I'd love to wake up to some reviews…maybe? Pretty, pretty please? Love, mugglehugger.


	5. When Everything Changed

Author's Note: I am terribly sorry for the long delay, but I'm going to work on writing several chapters whenever I _do _have free time so that I can post more regularly. I hope you'll forgive me, and without further ado…

* * *

><p>Chapter 4: When Everything Changed<p>

"You've been avoiding me."

Ginny brought her hand up to shield her eyes, and she could make out Draco's lanky frame outlined against the bright midday sunlight.

"Sorry," she replied shortly. She let her arm fall back to her side and closed her eyes again. Draco didn't move; he remained standing stiffly above her. It had been two weeks since he had kissed her and since she had forgotten to ask about Harry, and she hadn't been able to shake the inexplicable guilt that had lodged itself in the pit of her stomach.

"Look," Draco said, his voice sounding impatient and frustrated, "if this is about that ridiculous little kiss, then I'm sorry, but I really don't think you should be making such a big deal out of it."

Ginny raised her eyebrows, feeling annoyance building. "Ridiculous little kiss? Is that what we're calling it now? You think you can just waltz into my home and my life and kiss me after years of being utterly insufferable and it won't bother me in the slightest?"

She knew, deep inside, that she was being unfair. She knew that it wasn't the kiss that was truly bothering her, but the fact that she had let herself forget about Harry, even for a moment. But it was that kiss that had made her forget, and Draco's nonchalance about it grated.

A glance showed that Draco was scowling now. "So it was impulsive and ill-advised. I admit that I never thought I'd kiss a Weasley, but it's hardly the most horrible thing I've ever done to you."

His comment about kissing a Weasley made Ginny's temper flare, and she launched herself up to face him. For the first time in almost two months she saw standing before her the same arrogant, morally corrupt Slytherin prat that she had always hated.

"Well I'm sorry you had to stoop so low," she snapped. "I guess you really are just a self-important rich boy who's following in Daddy's footsteps."

Draco's expression darkened. "Well, forgive me if I thought we'd made some progress in the past few months. Or haven't we been spending hours together every single day?"

Ginny knew she was going too far, but she was angry, and that pit of guilt in her stomach was just egging her on.

"I was trying to be nice to you, against the advice of my brothers and my own better judgment. But I'm not some Slytherin floozy. I'm with Harry, and he's somewhere out there, probably in danger and risking his life for me, and kissing me was…disrespectful!"

"Oh, so that's the problem is it?" Draco spat. "I've tainted the purity of Harry Potter's helpless little admirer. How will he complete his mission if you're not waiting desperately for him to return? Grow up, Weasley. I have news for you. You're not _with_ Potter anymore. He broke it off. And he's not risking his life _for you_. He's risking it for a cause. At the end of the day, whatever mission he's on is more important to him than you are. He left you, and if you won't accept that then you're more deluded than I thought."

Before she could think, Ginny's hand flew forward and she slapped him hard across the face. He staggered back a little, shock registering in his eyes.

Ginny didn't know what to say, so she stood in silence as he regained his composure and tucked a stray piece of hair behind his ear. When he spoke, he looked her right in the eyes, and his voice was cold. "I'm sorry, Ginny, but that's the truth. Whatever the reason, the fact is that Potter left you here, and right now I'm the only friend you have. Or, the only friend you _had_, anyway."

Then, he turned and walked back toward the Burrow.

* * *

><p>Ginny spent the next few hours sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest, wondering numbly how that argument could've gotten so out of hand. She had wanted a fight, she couldn't deny it, but Draco's last comments about Harry had stung harder than she had expected.<p>

Staring blankly at the blades of grass before her, Ginny confronted it head on. The reason those comments had stung so badly was because they mirrored so precisely every guilty thought that she had been pushing down for the past two months.

Ginny knew that Harry's mission was extremely important, and she knew that to defeat Voldemort, sacrifices needed to be made. But she wished he hadn't felt the need to sacrifice their relationship. Had he really had to break up with her in order to do what he had to do? She wished he had chosen her over honour and her own safety and whatever else it was. Harry Potter was so damn noble, and sometimes, she hated him for it.

* * *

><p>Night had fallen around the Burrow when Ginny knocked softly on Draco's bedroom door.<p>

"I'm rather busy," came the short reply from within. Ginny shifted her weight a little nervously from foot to foot.

"It's me," she said.

There was a long silence, then, "All right, come in."

The room was dim. Draco was lying on the bed, back against the headboard, reading by the light of a squat candle that flickered on the bedside table.

Ginny closed the door slowly and stood with her back to it. Draco raised his eyebrows at her expectantly.

"I'm sorry," she said finally. "I know you didn't mean anything by the kiss, and I was wrong to avoid you and say all the things…," she winced, "that I said."

Draco didn't say anything, just regarded her cooly.

Ginny took a deep breath. "I think it just really brought things into focus…I'd been spending so much time with you and I'd been happy, which I don't think I wanted myself to be. Happy, I mean. But I think you were right…about Harry. Not any of the negative things…just that he did leave me here, and he had perfectly noble reasons, but at the end of the day I'm here and…well, I'm allowed to be a little happy sometimes, you know? Does…."

"Stop babbling, Weasley," Draco cut in. Ginny stopped abruptly. "Apology accepted."

Ginny cleared her throat. "Well, good." She beamed at him, and Draco smiled back amusedly.

"Do you want to sit down?"

Ginny looked around the room. There weren't any chairs, so she walked over and settled herself beside him on the bed. "What are you reading?" she asked, trying to peer around him at the cover of his book.

"_The First: A Biography of Merlin_," he said.

"Any good?"

"Not bad," he said.

They lapsed into a silence that Ginny found surprisingly comfortable.

"I'm sorry if I was harsh earlier," Draco said after a few minutes.

"It's okay. I'm sorry I hit you."

Draco looked down at her skeptically. "Really?"

Ginny smirked at him cheekily. "Not really, you kind of had it coming."

Draco chuckled. "Well, you're a force to be reckoned with, Ginny Weasley," he said, gaze returning to his book.

"And don't you forget it," she quipped.

* * *

><p>"Draco, wake up!"<p>

Ginny jolted awake, and immediately felt disoriented. Where was she? Her father was in the doorway, and Ginny realized that she was in Draco's bed. She must have fallen asleep after they made up last night. Was it morning already? A quick glance out the window told her that it was still deep in the night.

Mr. Weasley seemed to do a double take at the sight of his daughter sprawled in Draco's bed, but he didn't comment. "Death Eaters just crossed the barrier outside."

Ginny's stomach dropped. Beside her, Draco immediately turned to the bedside table and withdrew a small vial.

"How soon?" he said.

"Five minutes, at most," Mr. Weasley said briefly. "Take the Polyjuice, and don't come downstairs until it's worked."

Ginny scrambled out of bed and felt for the security of her wand in her back pocket. She watched Draco take a breath and swallow the Polyjuice Potion.

"I hope they got the right hair," he muttered as his body began to contort and mold itself into its new shape.

Ginny rushed to the dresser and threw Draco some of Ron's clothes. When she turned back, she saw her brother standing before her. "Put those on," she said frantically.

She could hear a commotion filtering up from downstairs and knew that the Death Eaters were in the house.

"Where's Potter?" she heard a gruff voice demand.

"He isn't here," her mother was replying.

"Are you ready?" Ginny said, turning to see Draco pulling a jumper over Ron's head and torso.

"Yeah," Draco replied.

"Your voice," Ginny said, "Make it deeper. And slouch a little…Ron slouches."

"I'm sure you won't mind if we check the house," came a female voice from below. Ginny's heart plummeted. It was Bellatrix Lestrange, and the subsequent sound of footsteps on the stairs told her that the Death Eaters were on their way up.

"What are we going to do?" she said, heart pounding.

Draco/Ron took Ginny's hand and stared into her eyes. "Ginny, you need to calm down. We're going to face them. You're a force to be reckoned with, remember?" Then he gave her a smirk that, though it was on Ron's face, was decidedly Draco's.

Ginny steadied her breathing as the footsteps came closer and closer. Draco didn't let go of her hand.

"Well, well, well," Bellatrix said as she mounted the landing. "What's this? Are the baby Weasleys hiding?" She pouted mockingly as she came into the room, followed by the burly Macnair and another male Death Eater that Ginny didn't recognize.

Bellatrix continued to advance toward them, and Ginny gripped Draco's hand tighter to keep herself from taking a step backwards. She would be damned if she was going to show fear in front of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Oh, little babies," Bellatrix continued in the same mocking tone, drawing closer and closer until she and Draco were mere centimeters apart.

"Where has Potter gone?" she hissed suddenly.

Draco shrugged, and when he spoke he had lowered his voice as Ginny had advised. "How should I know Harry's whereabouts?"

It still retained Draco's cool undertones, and his words were far too formal, but for the unfamiliar Bellatrix, it was close enough. "Ronald, isn't it?" she said. Draco nodded. "Aren't you and Potter supposed to be…the best of friends?"

She waited for a response, and Draco nodded again. "So you expect me to believe that you have no idea where he is."

"I didn't want to help him anymore," Draco replied.

There was a long pause in which Ginny was sure that Draco had said the wrong thing. Would Bellatrix believe that Ron would willingly abandon Harry? Everything hinged on her believing him. If she didn't…Ginny shuddered to think what methods Bellatrix might invoke.

But then, quite suddenly, Bellatrix threw her head back in a full, throaty cackle. Behind her, Macnair and the other Death Eater began to laugh as well.

"Didn't want to help him anymore! That should teach Potter to trust a blood traitor! Once a traitor, always a traitor, hm, Ronald?" She tapped Draco/Ron on the nose, and he flinched back a little.

Ginny's heart began to pound even harder as Bellatrix's eyes slid over to her. "And the littlest Weasley. Do you know, my nephew once told me that you were considered quite desirable at Dumbledore's excuse for a school. I think dear Draco even half believed it himself." The black eyes darted across Ginny's form and twisted a piece of Ginny's hair around her finger. Then she shrugged. "I can't for the life of me understand why."

"Still," Bellatrix continued speculatively, "You are Pureblood, so I suppose you're not completely repulsive. But how could you bring yourself to touch that half-blooded Potter boy, hm?" She raised her eyebrows at Ginny and brought her face close. "Didn't he make your skin crawl?"

Ginny felt defiance rising up within her and she couldn't bite back the brash comment that came to her lips. "Not as much as you do, Bellatrix."

Bellatrix's eyes hardened dangerously and her lips curved into a humourless smile. "You're very brave," she quipped, raising her wand. Ginny steeled herself for what was coming next.

"Wait," Draco said, and Bellatrix's hand paused in mid-air.

"Ginevra is…incautious," he said, "but she has no loyalty to Potter. He left her and broke her heart," Draco continued, and the anger in his voice was incredibly convincing. "No one in this family is loyal to Potter anymore. And I don't think that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would take well to the hurting of a Pureblood witch for no reason but your hurt pride."

Bellatrix's wand dangled in the air. "Are you threatening me?" she hissed.

"No, of course not," Draco said, and Ginny couldn't believe how calm he sounded. "I merely state the facts."

There was a pause that seemed to Ginny to last a lifetime, but finally Bellatrix lowered her wand. "What dramatic lives you do lead," she said, smiling chillingly. "Come, boys," she said to the Death Eaters, and she strode from the room, her black robes billowing behind her.

Ginny and Draco stood motionless, hardly breathing, until they heard the front door slam behind Bellatrix and the other Death Eaters followed by Mrs. Weasley's fearful cry as she raced upstairs.

"Ginny, are you hurt, darling?" she cried as she barreled into the room. "Draco?" She looked between the two of them, and seeming to ascertain that they weren't physically damaged at least, plunged forward and took Ginny into her arms.

"Are they gone?" Draco said.

"Yes, dear," Mrs. Weasley replied.

"They obviously didn't find what they came for," said Mr. Weasley, who had followed his wife into the room. "But I think they were satisfied that we didn't know anything about Harry. Whatever you two said must have been very convincing."

"What Draco said," Ginny added over her mother's shoulder. "Will they come back, do you think?"

"We can't know," Mrs. Weasley said, releasing her.

"But the Polyjuice seems to have been believable," came Fred's voice from the doorway. He and George's expressions were more serious than Ginny had ever seen them.

Ginny nodded slowly. The after-effects of the adrenaline that had been coursing through her seemed to be kicking in, and Ginny felt her extremities beginning to shake and her eyes to fill with tears. She had been so close to being cursed by Bellatrix Lestrange that her limbs felt weak, as though they could feel the shadow of a Cruciatus.

"I think…I think I'm going to go to bed, if that's okay." She knew she had to make a quick escape if she was going to keep up a strong front.

Mrs. Weasley stood back and surveyed her, then touched her cheek and nodded. "Of course, dear. But are you sure you're all right?"

Ginny smiled reassuringly. "Of course, I'm just a little shaken, that's all." Avoiding everyone's eyes, she hurried downstairs, down the hall, and to her own bedroom. Only when she had locked the door and cast a quick Silencing Charm on it did she allow herself to collapse on her bed and burst into tears.

* * *

><p>Sleep came in short, terrifying bursts for Ginny that night. She dreamt of Bellatrix's cold stare, and nightmares she had had years ago when Neville had told her about his parents' insanity came back to haunt her. Her mind was flooded with the sounds of Bellatrix's cackling laugh when she was jolted awake by a soft knock on the door. She sat bolt upright, and grasped her wand in a shaking hand.<p>

"Ginny?" The door opened just a crack and Draco's lowered voice filtered into the room.

Ginny sagged back against the headboard. "Come in," she replied.

Draco ducked inside and closed the door softly behind him. The Polyjuice had worn off and he looked like himself again. Ginny scooted over so that he could settle himself on the edge of her bed. He looked down at her concernedly.

"Are you all right?" he said.

"I'm fine," Ginny responded.

Draco looked her up and down. "You don't look fine," he replied.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh, thanks," she said sarcastically.

"You know what I mean."

Ginny shrugged. "Nightmares, that's all."

He nodded. "I couldn't sleep either. Dear Aunt Bellatrix has that effect on people."

Ginny shivered. "I forgot she's your aunt," she commented. "You must have some festive family get-togethers," she added.

Draco snorted. "Yeah, they're really lighthearted and not at all soul-crushing."

Ginny laughed. It was nice to have some company right now, and she settled herself back under the covers. They were silent for a moment.

"Draco?" Ginny said finally.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for saving my bum up there."

"No problem, Weasley," he replied. "You must have a death wish, baiting her like that."

"I couldn't help it," Ginny said, "My mum always said my big mouth would be the death of me one day." She laughed mirthlessly.

"Well, it certainly keeps life interesting."

Silence fell again.

"Are you here checking on me?" she asked.

"Like I said, I can't sleep."

"Oh, so it's actually for your benefit. Purely selfish motives," she said, looking at him skeptically.

He gave her his signature smirk. "If you'll believe it."

"Not for a second," she quipped. "Well," she added impulsively, "I could use the company too. You can stay if you like."

She patted the bedspread next to her. Draco seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then he lifted the blanket and got into the bed beside her. They both stared up at the ceiling.

"Do you make a habit of inviting strange boys into your bed for the night, Weasley?"

"No!" Ginny said in mock horror. "How would I keep up my reputation as the most desirable witch in Hogwarts," she teased, waggling her eyebrows at him.

"Oh, don't gloat, it doesn't become you," Draco replied. "And I never said that," he added primly.

Ginny laughed. "Of course you didn't."

They spent the next few hours talking and laughing, and it wasn't until the early morning sun had begun to creep over the horizon that Ginny fell asleep, her head resting comfortably against Draco's shoulder.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: So? What do you think? A lot happened in this past chapter, and I hope it all flowed well…I'd love your feedback! Also, what did you guys think of the Deathly Hallows Part 2 movie! I thought it was amaaaaaazing! But I'd love to hear your thoughts on that too. Much love, mugglehugger<p> 


	6. Sixteen at Shell Cottage

**Chapter 5: Sixteen at Shell Cottage**

"Merlin, I'm glad we're getting out of this house," Draco mused, leaning back in Ginny's desk chair and propping his feet up.

"Happy birthday to me!" Ginny said. She grinned and tossed another pair of shorts into her bag. "I think Mum and Dad knew I was getting antsy."

Two nights ago, over dinner, Mrs. Weasley had broached the subject.

"So it's Ginny's birthday coming up," he had said between bites of peas. "And your mother and I were thinking that you kids might fancy a trip to visit Bill and Fleur."

"You're going to let us barge in on the lovebirds at their love-cottage?" Fred said slowly. He looked at George incredulously.

"Well, not barge exactly," Mrs. Weasley chimed in. "But we do know that it's been hard on the four of you, being cooped up here for the past two months, and we thought that a nice weekend away might be a nice treat. Bill and Fleur agree."

"Draco's invited as well?" Ginny said.

"Well of course, he's been stuck around here like the rest of us," George replied. "Right, Mum?" Though they certainly weren't the best of friends, the twins had warmed up to Draco considerably over the past few weeks. Ginny suspected that his convincing performance during the Death Eaters' visit had done wonders to convince them of his trustworthiness.

Mrs. Weasley nodded. "Mind, it's only for a week, because you two," she looked pointedly at Ginny and Draco, "have to get back to your studies. Luckily most of the Sixth Year textbooks are upstairs in Ron's trunk for you, Ginny. And the twins," now she shot Fred and George an acid glare, "still have their _hardly touched_ Seventh Year materials for you, Draco, dear."

Ginny kicked Draco under the table and shot him a look of mock horror at the thought of resuming their studies. Draco shrugged and raised his eyebrows in resignation. It had been decided several weeks before that they would not be returning to Hogwarts, which it was rumored was going to be run by Snape and a crew of Death Eaters in the upcoming term. Draco certainly couldn't go back, and Ginny's parents were uncomfortable sending her into that kind of danger.

"Well, when are we leaving?" George said, suddenly brimming with energy.

"Yeah, George and I have been dying to run some of our new inventions by Bill."

"And by 'run by,' we mean 'test out on,'" George admitted laughingly.

Mr. Weasley gave them a wholly unconvincing look of disapproval. "We thought you could all Floo over on Friday evening. So Ginny can spend her birthday in the refreshing sea air, how does that sound, Gin?"

"It sounds great," Ginny smiled, "Thank you, it's a great idea."

* * *

><p>With the promise of the beach and a new environment before them, the rest of the week had flown by, but, true to form, Ginny had waited until the last minute to pack.<p>

"I don't know why I do this to myself," she groaned, glancing up at the clock on her bedroom wall. "We're supposed to Floo over there in fifteen minutes and…hang on, I have to go grab my toothbrush."

Ginny dashed across the hall and into the bathroom, stuffing toothbrush, floss, brush, and moisterizer into a pouch. Ever since the night of Bellatrix's visit, Ginny and Draco had been nearly inseparable. Their friendship was a biting, baiting, teasing sort of friendship, but it was a friendship all the same, and Ginny was enjoying the new level of comfort they had reached around each other.

"Are you already packed?" she called to Draco.

"I was packed three days ago," he called back.

"Great, now I feel much better about my procrastination," Ginny said, coming back into the room and throwing her newly full toiletries pouch at Draco's smug face.

"Cool it, Weasley," he replied, tossing the pouch back to her, "I barely have any belongings here, remember?"

Ginny rolled her eyes and stowed the little bag away, stepping back to survey the clothes tumbling out of her dresser.

"You're going to bring _this_, aren't you?" Draco said, amusedly holding up a too-small green bikini with one extended finger. "A little too sexy for the little Weasley baby, isn't it? I like the color." He cocked an eyebrow at her cheekily.

Ginny shot him a glare. "Oh, sod off, Malfoy," she grumbled, grabbing the swimsuit from him and deliberately throwing it back into the bottom drawer of her dresser.

"Ginnyyyyy, it's time to gooooo!" Fred's mock-whining voice called up the stairs.

"I'm almost ready," Ginny yelled.

"_Women_," she heard George sigh theatrically from below.

She turned to Draco. "You better go grab your things."

Draco swung his legs off of the desk. On his way out the door, he bent down and retrieved the green bathing suit from the drawer. He tossed it into Ginny's open trunk and winked at her. "Bring it, Weasley." And he walked out of the room.

Ginny rolled her eyes, threw one last shirt in the bag and zipped it up. A certain amount of shameless flirting had infused itself into the friendship along with the new levels of comfort. Ginny felt the tiniest barb of guilt every time she or Malfoy made a blatantly flirtatious comment, but she had to admit that she enjoyed the feeling of always being on her toes, the next comeback always on the tip of her tongue. She had the strangest feeling that she was engaging in the Slytherin style of flirting.

Ginny threw a last, cursory glance around her bedroom, then grabbed her trunk and headed downstairs.

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later, Ginny, Draco, and the twins were brushing themselves off in Bill and Fleur's freshly decorated living room.<p>

"How was ze Floo? Not too dizzying, I 'ope," Fleur said, pulling Ginny into a hug. Ginny noted that since the wedding, Fleur's English had improved drastically.

"It wasn't bad at all," she replied, smiling encouragingly. She hadn't particularly liked Fleur when she'd first encountered her at the Triwizard Tournament in Third Year; she had seemed so shallow and finnicky, but Ginny had begun to like her more and more after seeing her with Bill. And she had been so incredibly patient and loyal after his injury.

"Ginny, I'm glad you're all right. Mum told us about the Death Eaters," Bill said, coming over and giving Ginny a big hug.

"Oh, it's all right. That was weeks ago," Ginny said, trying to brush it off. To be honest, she didn't like to think about it.

"We are so glad you are going to be staying with uz," Fleur added. "Let uz show you your rooms and den we will have lunch, all right?"

"Here, Gin, lemme get your bag," Bill said, swinging Ginny's bag up and starting up the stairs after his wife. "Are you all right with that, Draco?" he added, turning back to glance at Malfoy. Ginny recognized that this was her brother's acknowledgement of Draco. Bill hadn't been there when the decision to allow Draco into the Weasley home had been made, but she was sure her parents and Charlie had filled him in.

"Yeah, I'm all set," Draco replied, following them up.

"I guess we're out in the cold, then, Fred," George said, shaking his head morosely.

"Yeah, no help with the bags for us, eh?" added Fred.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Let's go, you two," she muttered.

The cottage was very small from the outside, so Ginny suspected that one or two of the rooms had been added magically to accommodate them all.

"This iz for you, Draco," Fleur said, turning right at the top of the stairs and opening the first door on the hall.

Draco brought his bag inside. "Thank you very much," he said politely. Fleur smiled happily at him.

"And zis is for Fred and George," she said, showing them to the next door on that hall.

Fleur crossed back to the other side of the stairs. "And finally, for Ginny!" She opened the door to reveal Ginny's quarters for the week.

"Thanks, Fleur," Ginny said, throwing her bag onto the bed and then bouncing onto it as well.

"Gin, our bedroom's right next door if you need anything," Bill added.

"Why don't you get settled. Lunch will be ready in five minutes, okay?" Fleur said, and she headed back down the stairs.

"Sure thing," Ginny called after her. "Thanks for this, Bill," she said, as her brother came and sat down next to her on the bed.

"Aw, it's nothing," Bill said, winking at her. "S'not every day il' Ginnykins turns sixteen! Don't tell Fleur I told you, but she's baking you a big cake for tomorrow night."

"That's really nice of her…she doesn't have to do that," Ginny said quickly.

Bill waved a hand. "She insisted," he said. "I think she's trying to get you to like her."

"Oh, Bill!" Ginny exclaimed. "I _do_ like her!"

Bill raised his eyebrows skeptically. Ginny rolled her eyes. Bill had been able to see right through her since the day she was born.

"All right, so I didn't like her at first. But only _at first_! I like her now, of course!"

"Well, that's my baby sister," Bill said affectionately, tapping her on the nose (Ginny never let _anyone _else tap her on the nose). "You can never dislike anyone once you get to know them."

Ginny immediately thought of Malfoy. Bill's thoughts seemed to run in the same direction.

"So, the Malfoy kid being around…are you all right with that? Is he being all right to you?"

"Merlin, Billy, it sounds like you're worried he's pushing me around on the playground or something," Ginny said, patting her brother reassuringly on the arm.

Bill chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, so you're grown up. You know what I mean, Gin. You know, Gred and Forge Floo'd me a while back worried about you…."

"Oh, great," Ginny retorted, rolling her eyes heavenward.

"Well they were worried the two of you were spending too much time together."

"I think they're fine with it now," Ginny said. "They were worried for a while and gave me a bit of a hard time about it, because Malfoy and I _have_ been spending time together, but they've warmed up to him now. Malfoy's kind of a git, but at the end of the day I'm stuck with him, aren't I?" she finished.

Bill gave her one last piercing look, but seemed satisfied. "Well, good, I'm glad to hear it. I better go down and help Fleur get the table set."

"Look at you, all grown up," Ginny teased.

"Well Mum's certainly relieved," Bill laughed, heading out of the room.

Ginny took a moment to survey her week's residence – a metal-framed double bed, a wicker rocking chair, and a little table topped with a mirror filled up all the space in the small room. Ginny heaved her trunk to the foot of the bed, then headed down the hall to Malfoy's room.

"Do you want to go down to the beach later?" Ginny asked as she bounded onto the bed. "Hey! That's cool!" she commented, noticing the skylight window on the sloped ceiling above his bed.

"It's going to be bloody obnoxious in the mornings, though," he muttered from where he was rummaging in his trunk for something.

"Are you a wizard of not?" she teased. "Rustle up some curtains or something. You're seventeen."

"Merlin, woman, why do you have so much energy all of a sudden?" he said.

"Sea air or whatever," Ginny replied. "So? Beach?"

"All right," Draco said, "As long as you don't try to get me to swim."

"It's the ocean, and freezing! Why in the world would I try to make you swim?"

Draco scowled at her. "Because you're a slavedriver in the water."

Ginny grinned. "I do try."

* * *

><p>After a light lunch, Ginny spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening with Draco on the beach. The twins had immediately brought Bill and Fleur up to their room and shut the door so that they could demonstrate the wonders of their latest inventions. Every once in a while Ginny and Draco heard Fleur's frightened shriek emanating from the house, which told her that the inventions were a success.<p>

"Malfoy Manor next!" Ginny said after they had spent half an hour constructing a near-perfect replica of the Burrow out of sand.

"No, I'm not at liberty to reveal the blueprint of the manor," Draco said primly.

"Oh, sod it," Ginny said, mussing up their sand-Burrow with a swipe of her left foot. "I showed you mine, now you have to show me yours." She waggled her eyebrows at him.

Draco sighed. "All right." He smoothed out the sand before him and cleared his throat theatrically. Ginny laughed. "So here's the lane coming up the house…."

"Don't tell me, it's called Malfoy Lane."

"No!" Draco insisted. He met Ginny's raised eyebrows head-on.

"Well, what's it called then?" Ginny persisted.

"I'll have you know that it's called Malfoy Drive."

Ginny burst into laughter, but quickly stifled it at Draco's glare. "The Drive happens to have been constructed by my great-great-great-great-great grandfather, thanks very much."

"All right, all right, continue," Ginny said. "You know, the Burrow was constructed by my grandfather," she added teasingly.

"And I'm sure he was very proud of it," Draco said. "And here is the gate…and the wrought iron fence surrounding the grounds. Help me make that side," he added, positioning the sand in a make-shift high wall around a large rectangular area.

"Now, there's the entrance foyer, the dining hall, the small parlour, the large parlour…," he said, swiftly cordoning off each room with a swipe in the sand of his index finger, "the library, my father's private offices, the dueling hall, the trophy room, and the ballroom, formerly the indoor swimming pool," he said, grinning at a flabbergasted Ginny.

"This is all on the ground floor?"

"Yes," Draco said, "now the kitchens, wine cellar, and dungeons are underground, but I don't think we can build that elaborate a sandcastle, unfortunately."

"Wait, wait, wait," Ginny cut in. "You have dungeons in your house?"

Draco chuckled. "Well my great-great-great-great-great grandfather wasn't exactly the most gentle of individuals. Oh! The house elves and other servants have sleeping quarters underground as well."

"And upstairs?" Ginny said, "Don't tell me – a room made of diamonds."

"Unfortunately, no. Just the bedrooms."

"You have just the one bedroom?" Ginny muttered sarcastically. "That must be tough for you."

"You asked," Draco returned.

"Well, now I certainly see where your bloated sense of self-worth comes from," Ginny teased.

"Play nice, Weasley," Draco tutted, tossing a fistful of sand at her.

"Hey!" Ginny yelled, throwing sand right back. She grasped another handful, and Draco stood and darted away from the grains heaved in his direction.

"That's right, run away and hide in your bloody dueling hall, you rich git!" Ginny laughed, chasing him across the beach.

* * *

><p>After dinner, the twins challenged Bill to a game of chess, admitting grumpily that they needed to hone their skills after a from-behind defeat by Ginny and Draco several weeks earlier. Ginny opened a pack of Pumpkin Pasties and sat back to watch the game unfold.<p>

When night fell, everyone headed up to their respective bedrooms, with a stern word of warning from Bill to the happily victorious twins not to burn the cottage down with their latest inventions.

Ginny tossed and turned restlessly in bed for some time. There had still been no news from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and everyone was beginning to think that it was useless to wait for an Owl at this point. Perhaps the Trio just deemed it too dangerous to even try. Ginny was trying to resign herself to the idea of no news until the whole thing was over…it could be years.

Ginny kneaded her pillow in frustration. It was no use. She shoved her pillow under one arm and got out of bed. The door to her room creaked once as she slowly inched it open. She winced and stood quiet for a moment before slipping out and pulling it softly closed behind her. The hall was dark outside, and Ginny had to move slowly in the unfamiliar hall. She tiptoed down the corridor. She didn't bother knocking on Draco's door anymore, she just twisted the doorknob slowly and let herself inside.

"It's me," Ginny whispered into the dark room, shutting the door behind her.

The room was dark and Draco was already in bed. "Couldn't sleep?" he said, raising himself up on his elbows. It was obvious from his alert voice that he hadn't been asleep either.

"Yeah," Ginny said. "Scoot over."

Draco sighed, but moved his pillow to one side of the bed. Ginny plumped her pillow up then slid under the covers. For the past few weeks, this had become a regular routine. Whenever one of them couldn't sleep, they would go over to the other's room to talk until tiredness set in. Sleeping in the same bed was another thing entirely, and a thing that Ginny tried not to analyze, but nothing happened (Ginny shook her head at the thought), and if they fell asleep talking, what was the harm in that?

"Hey, you put up curtains," Ginny said, looking up at the fabric that had materialized on either side of the skylight.

"Mmm, good idea, that," he replied, settling himself back down.

"But don't close them yet, it's pretty outside," Ginny said quickly. The sky above was heavy with stars.

"I know, I was looking."

"So it's your birthday tomorrow," Draco continued after a pause. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I didn't?" Ginny said, surprised, "I guess I just forgot to mention it."

"I didn't get you a gift, you know," Draco replied.

"It's okay, you can get me two next year."

Draco laughed. "Greedy, Weasley."

"Says the boy who lives in a bloody castle."

"Touche."

"Apparently Fleur's baking me a cake tomorrow night," Ginny said conversationally.

"Really? I didn't know the two of you were close."

Ginny groaned. "I didn't think we were," she muttered.

"Merlin! You hate her, don't you," Draco said, turning to look at her.

"I used to, I'll admit it," Ginny said quickly, "But in my defense, when she came to Hogwarts she was shallow and annoying as all hell."

Draco laughed aloud. "Don't try that tack with me, Weasley. Parkinson tried the pull the same thing. You hated her because she was sexy and all the boys couldn't keep their tongues in their mouths when she walked by. And _you_ were jealous because Saint Potter was one of them!"

"That is not true, Malfoy!" Ginny cried defensively, turning and supporting herself on one elbow.

"That's why you're fine with her now," Draco continued, unfazed, "Because she's married to your brother, so she's off the market."

Ginny tossed her pillow at him, but he just laughed smugly. "Oh, you think you've got me all figured out, don't you, Malfoy," she grumbled. "Well for your information, Harry wasn't one of those boys." She flopped back down, hugging her pillow lengthwise. "He was still in his Cho Chang phase."

Draco looked at her curiously now. "Chang? The Ravenclaw?"

"Yep," Ginny confirmed. "His first kiss."

Draco whistled. "I remember her. Didn't know Potter had it in him," he mused.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Men."

"You mentioned Pansy before…," she added, remembering that time at the pond when Draco had said she might be the person he most cared about, "You never talk about her."

"Ah, Parkinson's just an old friend," he said nonchalantly.

"First girlfriend?" Ginny pressed, grinning and prodding him teasingly.

"I don't know if I'd call it that," he answered cryptically.

"First kiss?"

"Yes, but we were seven, so it hardly counts. We just grew up together, and we're friends, and sometimes we did a little experimenting…," he rolled his eyes at Ginny's look of mock-horror. "But it's never been romantic."

"Huh," Ginny said slowly. "Why didn't you ever get together?"

Draco sighed and turned his gaze back to the stars above, contemplating. "I think at first it was mostly to spite our parents. They were starting to drop hints about the familiies being allied and how a union ought to be arranged, and, well, it rubbed me the wrong way and Pansy wasn't thrilled about it either. And then, you know, in Fifth Year, she started dating Pucey, and now, you know, all of _this_ happened…."

"So you missed your shot with her because your parents…approved of you two?" Ginny said.

"No, it's not like that. I don't look back on it now and regret not dating her," he said, "It's just funny how these things turn out, that's all."

"I see," Ginny said. "Well, maybe after the war…."

"Doubt it. I'm kind of a blood traitor now, aren't I? Pansy would never. And I wouldn't expect her to."

Ginny sighed. She would never understand the intricacies of Slytherin power games.

"Your turn to be interrogated," Draco said, turning back to face her. "So Potter. Your first boyfriend?"

Ginny laughed. "Nope. Michael Corner. You know, the Ravenclaw? And then there was Dean Thomas. And _then_ Harry."

Draco laughed. "Maybe not such a prude after all," he commented. She shrugged.

"So…did you and Potter ever…? You know…," Draco waggled his eyebrows.

Ginny glared at him. "Harry's a real gentlemen, thanks very much."

"I'm sure," Draco laughed. They were silent for a moment. "But you loved him, when you were together?"

Ginny thought for a moment. "Yeah, I'd say so," she answered finally. "Did you ever love Pansy?"

"I guess so. In a way. It's hard to describe," Draco said.

And Ginny realized: there were two confusedly bruised hearts in the bed that night.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: See? I told you I would post more regularly! And this is a long chapter too! Admittedly, not much happens…it's mostly Draco and Ginny becoming better friends, but I hope you liked it all the same. Fair warning: the next chapter is going to jump ahead a year…to Ginny's seventeenth birthday. I think that's how I'm going to cover the rest of the time until Harry returns. Snapshots on or around Ginny's birthdays. What do you think? That should get the story moving a little more quickly :)<p>

Also, I have a question for all of you. I'm looking for new fanfiction to READ, so please review and let me know what your favorites are! Much love, mugglehugger


	7. You Won't Be Seventeen Forever

**Chapter 6: You Won't Be Seventeen Forever**

* * *

><p>Ginny sat on the living room floor, her back propped up against the armchair and her legs outstretched before her. The Seventh Year Charms textbook lay open on her lap, and the tantalizing smells of her mum's cooking wafted in from the kitchen.<p>

"This should be against some sort of statute," she said grumpily.

Draco, who was lying on his stomach a foot away and reading a book about the inner workings of the wizarding banking system, didn't respond.

Miffed, Ginny prodded his side with her toe.

He raised his eyebrows at her, keeping his gaze firmly on the text before him. "Are you complaining again?" he sighed.

"But I just finished all my Sixth Year stuff a month and a half ago…shouldn't I get more of a break before I'm beat over the head with all of _this_," she huffed, defiantly shutting the textbook with a snap. "And anyway, it's my birthday!"

Draco glanced at her and she took the opportunity to make her most displeased face. He rolled his eyes, but she saw the corners of his lips struggling against a grin. "Hard to believe you're an adult," he muttered.

"Hey!" She prodded him harder in the side. "I'll Bat Bogey you, you know! I'm allowed to do that now!"

"Look, just finish that chapter, will you?" he said, reaching over and flipping her book back open. He tapped a finger to the page.

"Ugh," she groaned, but she sighed theatrically and returned to reading, biting distractedly at the tip of her note-taking quill.

"You're an awful student," Draco commented, flipping over onto his back and holding his book above him.

Ginny made a face at him and settled her legs comfortably across his stomach.

She had struggled over the past year through her Sixth Year material. Her mother kept her on a strict schedule, insisting that just because a war was on didn't mean she could neglect her education and lounge around the house all day. There had still been no news about Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and by now Ginny had really ceased to hope for it. She knew that Fred and George had been right – if Voldemort had succeeded in hurting Harry, the news would have been plastered over every newspaper and announced on every street corner. No, as long as there was silence, she knew they must be safe, and that had become enough.

Fifteen minutes later, Ginny was mercifully released from her schoolwork by her mother's call from the kitchen. "Ginny, dear, I see Charlie coming up the lane!"

Gleefully, Ginny thrust her book away and bounded up, meeting Charlie at the door.

"_There_'s the birthday girl," he cried happily, enveloping her in one of the bear hugs she'd always loved when they were little. "How does it feel to be a bona fide adult, hm, Ginniekins?"

"Lovely," she smiled, taking his coat and settling onto the coat rack. "Hope the Apparition Point went all right?" she added.

"Naw, some tough questions about where I was going and what for," Charlie said, waving off the question, "But they don't give Purebloods too much trouble."

Things had gotten much worse in the world outside the Burrow's confines over the past year. The Order, which sometimes held meetings in the living room, suspected that Voldemort was becoming desperate, frustrated with his unsuccessful attempts to locate the trio. Security had been tightened, and Apparition was now restricted and tracked out of a few central locations in each city which were patrolled by Death Eaters.

The Burrow had been left mostly to its own devices. A group of Death Eaters had come on two different occasions to question "Ron" more closely, but Draco's performances consistently seemed to convince them not to resort to the maiming of a valuable Pureblood line. Ginny suspected that he knew precisely how to play them because he had been in proximity to them for so many years. Her family was incredibly grateful, and Draco had settled more and more comfortably into life with the Weasleys.

Ginny was dragged from her musings when Charlie cheerfully proferred a long, narrow package, wrapped in brown paper with a ribbon that featured incredibly lifelike moving dragons. She beamed and stood on her toes to kiss Charlie on the cheek. "Thank you," she said, bringing the package into the living room. She stepped over Draco to set it on the coffee table.

"Your first piece of loot?" he said, grinning up at her.

"First of many," she said happily, patting him on the stomach with the sole of her foot. "Are you going to say hello to Charlie?"

"Hi, Charlie," Draco said dutifully as the second-eldest Weasley came into the room and flopped onto the end of the couch. Ginny settled herself into the armchair and crossed her legs.

Just then, flames burst in the grate and Bill and Fleur stepped through.

"Hello!" Charlie said, standing and clapping Bill on the back. "How are you, Fleur?"

"Happy to be home," Bill said, tossing Ginny another package.

"Bill! Be careful with it!" Fleur exclaimed, but Ginny caught it easily in her Chaser's hands and set in the table beside Charlie's gift. "Happy birthday, Ginny!" she added.

"Here, let me make room for you," Draco said, setting his book aside and standing so that Bill and Fleur could maneuver onto the couch beside Charlie. He made a scooting gesture to Ginny, who moved a bit to let him sit down beside her in the armchair.

Mr. Weasley appeared from upstairs. "Percy just Owled…he can't make it tonight, they're making them stay late at the Ministry. But he says he's sorry, Gin. And the twins are on their way down…they just want to finish up a few orders."

"How's that going anyway?" Charlie asked.

"They're making a tidy little sum off it, I think," Ginny said. About seven months prior, the twins had gotten tired of sitting around, and since they had had to close down their shop in Diagon Alley, they decided to re-start their business in mail-order format, at least for the time being.

"Any law suits, yet?" Bill asked, grinning.

"Nope!" exclaimed Fred, bounding down the stairs, "There's a liability release at the bottom of our order form."

He grinned at George, who nodded vigorously. "That's saved our sorry bums quite a few times, let me tell you."

Ginny laughed along with the rest of the family.

"Is that Lipnis's book on the WBS?" Bill commented, once individual conversations began to spring up around the room. He gestured to Draco's book.

"Yeah," Draco nodded confirmation.

Bill looked surprised and vaguely impressed. "Are you interested in his stuff?"

"He makes some interesting points," Draco said diplomatically.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "He thinks his theory's rubbish though," she cut in, and Draco kicked her foot.

Bill laughed, "So do most of the wizard's working at Gringott's, but he was so integral in passing the Personal Gold Statute in '64 that we all have to keep reading his work."

Draco was nodding wisely and Ginny smiled and nudged him serreptitiously. Though Bill's cursebreaking work kept him largely out of his office at Gringotts, he still stayed up to date on the state of economic affairs. Since finishing his Seventh Year studies, Draco had taken a particular interest in the banking system, and Ginny had been goading him into thinking about a job at Gringotts after the war. "It's only fitting that a rich prat like you go into the business of money," she had teased him.

Several minutes later, Mr. Weasley excused himself from the room to help Mrs. Weasley finish up dinner, and within the hour they were all seated around the huge kitchen table over Ginny's favorite birthday meal.

* * *

><p>Ginny pulled her broomstick up above tree level, then allowed herself to hover there for a moment, taking in the beautiful sight of the sun setting on the horizon. The breeze dusted across her cheek and she sighed contentedly.<p>

Charlie, Bill, and Fleur had headed back to their respective homes. Over the past several months, it had become increasingly unwise to travel after dark, and Charlie had a ways to walk to get home from the Apparition Point in London. Bill and Fleur had followed suit.

"So what did you think of your presents?" Draco said, gliding up beside her on Charlie's old broom.

"They were great," Ginny said, smiling at the thought of her family surrounding her and forcing gifts into her hands after dinner. Her parents had given her a beautiful new quilt. They had incorporated photographs of the family into some of the fabric patches so that their smiling faces waved out at her. She'd received an exquisite set of gilt hairclips from Bill and Fleur, who had gotten them sent from France by Fleur's family. Charlie had, with the help of a few fellow dragon tamers with connections, gotten Ginny an advance copy of the latest biography of Gwenog Jones, signed by Jones herself. And Fred and George had, true to form, teasingly entrusted her with what they promised would be the next last word in Love Potions.

Ginny turned back to Draco. "Thanks for yours, by the way," she said, playfully tossing him the inscribed quaffle she held under her arm. He veered a bit to catch it and Ginny grinned. "Maybe we should have you practice with it tomorrow," she teased. "How'd you get it, anyway?"

"Remember three weeks ago when I offered to help your mum bring home groceries?" he said, winking cheekily at her.

"Ah, brilliant," Ginny said, tapping her forehead.

"I certainly thought so," Draco quipped back, winking cheekily at her. "Took the Polyjuice, of course," he added.

Ginny nodded sagely. Draco had been unable to leave the confines of the Burrow as himself for over a year now, and though he never mentioned feeling pent up, Ginny knew it was taking its toll. He could go out as Ron, of course, but Ginny had a feeling that wasn't going to be enough for long.

"I actually have your second gift, if you want it," Draco said.

Ginny turned to him, surprised. "A second gift?" she said.

He tossed the quaffle back at her and she caught it nimbly with one arm.

"Yeah, remember last summer when you asked for two gifts this year?"

Ginny looked blankly at him. "Well I didn't actually expect you to get two gifts, you ruddy show-off!" she said. "I was only teasing!"

Draco sighed theatrically, but he was grinning. "I guess I'll just keep it then," he said, turning away and floating higher into the sky.

"Aw, I didn't mean it," Ginny pouted, coasting up after him.

Smiling widely now, Draco produced a small silver-colored box from his pocket. "Well, come closer, then," he said, gesturing her nearer. "I'm not tossing this over, it's fragile."

Interest peaked, Ginny maneuvered her broom parallel to his, and he dropped the box into her outstretched hand. She opened it carefully. Inside, displayed on a velvet cushion, was a delicate gold chain that ended in a beautiful locket. Ginny inhaled sharply.

"It's beautiful, Draco," she said, glancing over at Malfoy. He was regarding her with a curious expression. "But I really can't accept this. You already got me something, and I thought this second gift would be some kind of gag thing…but this is…it's really too nice."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Weasley," Draco scoffed. "I can't send it back, anyway. It's custom-made. Open it."

Ginny carefully touched the side of the locket, and it opened to reveal a tiny photograph displayed across the two inner ovals.

"It's the pond," Draco said. "And there," he continued, reaching over and pointing to the two figures discernable at the water's edge, "we are."

Ginny bent her head to look more closely. In the picture, she was sitting with her legs dangling in the pond, and Draco had swum up next to her. He had obviously just said or done something extremely funny, because Ginny's head was thrown back in a full-bodied laugh.

"Where in the world did you get this photograph?" she asked, smiling broadly.

"That was about two months ago," he replied. "Fred and George were testing out their new walking cameras, remember?"

Ginny nodded, grinning at the memory. "What a nightmare! Those things were everywhere, taking pictures of people in the loo and all…Mum almost murdered them."

"Well, they were useful for this, anyway," Draco laughed. "I found this one when I was helping the twins go through the negatives. I guess a few of those buggers wandered all the way out to the pond. I sent it off to this jewelry shop my mum goes to sometimes, and they fit it to the locket."

Ginny leaned over and gave Draco a quick kiss on the cheek. "It's really lovely, thank you," she said earnestly.

Draco shrugged. "I figured you ought to get at least one good memory out of this whole mess," he said.

Ginny smiled, watching photograph-Ginny splash Draco full in the face with a kick of her leg in the water. She looked up, only to catch Draco staring at her again with that curious expression. It was something like surprise, she decided.

She felt herself blush self-consciously and decided to call him out on that strange look. "Do I have something on my face?" she asked.

"Well," Draco said, narrowing his eyes at her, "I've been trying to figure out for the longest time what all of those little brown dots are across your nose. Bloody dreadful, really."

"Hey!" Ginny cried, throwing the Quaffle at his head. He laughed, and it just barely missed him, plummeting toward the ground below.

"You really do need to practice more," Ginny called out, accelerating her broom into a quick dive to catch the falling ball just before it reached the grass. She heard Draco land just behind her.

"Not everyone has a whole gaggle of brothers to practice with all the time," he countered, jogging up easily to walk beside her to the shed.

"Excuses, excuses," Ginny muttered, shoving him playfully on the shoulder.

The sun had all but set on the horizon as they came up to the small wooden building. "Lumos," Ginny said, and the end of her wand brightened to reveal the clutter of broomsticks, old Prophets, and knick knacks inside. Her father's collection of Muggle appliances filled the shelves of one wall, and the disassembled parts of his latest project were strewn across the big table in the center of the room.

Ginny set her broomstick in its place along the wall then swung herself up on the table so Draco could put his away. She patted the wood next to her and he settled himself beside her.

"Put this on for me," Ginny said, handing him the locket and swinging her long hair around her shoulder.

"Have I ever told you you're incredibly bossy?" Draco replied, taking the chain and deftly clasping it on.

"More than once," she answered. "But it's part of my charm." The locket felt cool against her skin, and Ginny shivered a little as Draco's hand brushed against the back of her neck.

Thoughtfully outlining the engraved pattern on the locket face with her fingertip, Ginny turned to look at him. In the soft pool of light emanating from her wand, Ginny's eyes could trace the profile of his now completely familiar face, and she realized with surprise that he was actually quite handsome. Not rugged or athletic, but definitely handsome. His eyes were an incredibly piercing gray, and his nose was tall and – Ginny stopped short. She realized, heart suddenly pounding hard in her chest, what the looks he had been giving her earlier had meant, because they mirrored the one she was wearing at that very moment. It was _attraction_.

Under her scrutiny, Draco's brow had creased in slight confusion, but he flashed her his trademark smirk as he spoke. "Do I have something on my -..., "

And on impulse, without any explanation, without even letting herself think, Ginny leaned forward and pressed her lips hard against his. Ginny's stomach dropped sharply in the next terrifying moment when his lips lay shocked and immobile against hers and a million confused thoughts rushed into her head. She began to pull away, an apology already in her throat, but quite suddenly she realized that Draco was kissing her back fiercely, and her fingers pressed against his back as his hands came up to cup either side of her face. Even in the midst of it all, Ginny knew with certainty that she had been kissed like this before, and she tried to fix every moment of it into her memory.

But just as quickly as it had begun, Draco was pulling away from her. He swung down off the table and stood before her, leaning on the table with his arms on either side of her so that their eyes were level. "What in the bloody hell was that?" he said, the words rushing out of him.

"Well," she said, catching her breath, "I think it was a kiss, but I really can't be sure."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, Weasley, you know what I mean. You practically attacked me!"

"I didn't hear you complaining," she countered. "Is that a blush I see?"

"Of course not," Draco said defiantly.

Ginny considered him for a moment. "Are you angry?" she said.

"Of course not," he said again. "You just caught me off guard, that's all." He paused, looking searchingly into her face. Ginny stared back at him. She realized with mild surprise that she didn't feel nervous or guilty or awkward. She felt bold and fearless and_...happy._

"So," he said finally, raising his eyebrows at her archly. "Is that sort of thing going to become a regular occurrence from now on?"

Ginny smiled. "If you want," she replied, shrugging cheekily.

"Because if it is, I'm going to need a guarantee of protection from your brothers. They'd hex me to bits if word got out."

Feeling daring, Ginny leaned forward and kissed him again, softly this time, her lips brushing lightly against his and lingering just a moment longer than necessary.

She leaned back and smiled at him. "Sod 'em."

* * *

><p>Author's Note: And there it is! They finally got together! Sorry this chapter took a while, I've been on vacation, but I've been writing in every spare moment to get this chapter to you. I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has reviewed thus far – you guys are fantastic! Let me know what you thought of this one – I hope it wasn't too stilted. Look for the next chapter in a few days. I'm excited…just one more chapter to go before Harry returns and the drama really starts. Much love, mugglehugger.<p> 


	8. Keeping Silent

Author's Note: Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of the reviews on the last chapter! They were so encouraging! I would like to apologize, however, for the typos and for not making it clearer that I jumped ahead a year. I will definitely be more careful about that in the future.

Speaking of which, after much thought and consideration, I have decided _not_ to skip ahead in this chapter to Ginny's 18th birthday. Instead, I'm only skipping ahead about two months, so you'll get to see a little more of how Draco and Ginny's relationship develops. Additionally, I'm adding an extra two chapters (so two more after this one) before the trio's return. There's too much stuff that needs to happen beforehand, so I'm changing my original structure.

Oh, and there's a whole segment of _italics_ in the middle of this chapter. It's a flashback, and I think it's something quite a few of you have been looking forward to :)

Aaaand, after that long author's note, my lovely readers, here is Chapter 7 – enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: Keeping Silent<strong>

Ginny sighed deeply, shifting her head against Draco's shoulder. They had been together for two months now, and a cool October wind was whistling against the skylight above. Dark clouds had blotted out the nighttime stars, and they lay in bed in the soft light of Draco's wand.

"Hmm?" he said, moving his arm around her to stroke her hair.

"Nothing," she said, "I'm just comfortable, that's all."

Draco turned to look at her curiously. "Nah," he said, "I know that look. You want to say something, but you're trying to decide whether or not it's a good idea."

"I have no such look!" Ginny insisted, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Of course you do," he replied easily, "You try to hide it, of course, but your lips purse a little," he explained, tracing his fingertip lightly along the curve of her mouth, "and your forehead creases right by your hairline." He leaned over a little to kiss her lightly on the top of her forehead.

"You think you've got me all figured out, don't you, Malfoy?" Ginny countered, but she couldn't help smiling.

"I _do_ have you all figured out, Weasley. You're like an open book," he said, grinning.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Anyway, you told me last week that I don't know when to keep my mouth shut."

"Also true," he snorted, "This current expression is rare. Which is why I'm so curious about what you want to say."

"Well if you must know," Ginny said, shooting him a mock glare. "I was just musing that you're much more of a gentleman than I ever gave you credit for."

"And what, pray tell, is that supposed to mean?" he asked.

Ginny shrugged. "We've been snogging pretty regularly for more than two months now," she said.

Draco chuckled. "That was direct," he muttered, but Ginny pressed on.

"And I've been sneaking in here and sleeping in your bed nearly every night since then. But you never try anything more. You're strictly above board," she said. "It's just very…gentlemanly of you, that's all, and rather surprising."

"Well," Draco said, eyebrows raised, "I'm glad you have such a high regard for my self-control."

"Oh, you know what I mean," Ginny said, prodding him teasingly. "I always heard that back at Hogwarts you…how shall I put this delicately?"

"Got around?"

"Were the male version of a slag, yes."

Draco laughed. "I'm glad I'm preceded by such a glowing reputation."

"I'm serious!"

"Why haven't you asked about this before, then?"

Ginny shrugged. "Rather awkward, isn't it? And I don't really care, of course," she said, trying for nonchalance, "I was just expecting you to, er, want more, I guess. So I'm surprised."

"Look, do you want the honest truth?" Draco said, turning to meet her eyes.

"No, I want to live in the dark forever."

Draco made a face at her. "Parkinson and I slept together for about a month during Fifth Year…before she and Pucey started up," he told her matter-of-factly. "And then there was a night with an Italian witch I met in Barcelona that summer. And that's it."

"That's it?"

"That's it," he nodded.

"Well, the rumor-mill proves its inaccuracy once again," Ginny commented.

"Indeed. Slytherins are very selective," he added. "The rest of you don't know us at all."

"Hey!" Ginny said defensively. "It's not like we thought you were having orgies in the dungeons or anything!"

Draco looked at her skeptically. "I thought I was the male version of a slag."

"You were," Ginny admitted. "Just not as slag-like as we all believed."

"Well, it's not for lack of offers," Draco said, running his fingers through his hair ostentatiously, "I mean, look at me."

Ginny laughed aloud. "And if you do have any fault, it's modesty."

Draco grinned widely. "So does that satisfy your curiousity?"

"No," Ginny said, "I still don't know why you haven't, you know…tried anything…with me."

His expression sobered and he thought for a moment. "It's not that I don't want to," he said, looking at her earnestly. "Believe me, I do. I just don't want to rush it. You said you and Potter never…." He looked to Ginny for confirmation, and she nodded. "So it can wait."

Ginny eyed him suspiciously. "You're sure this doesn't have anything to do with my gits of brothers? Dean had a real complex about that, and it got really old."

"Nah," Draco insisted, "I've dealt with _actual_ frightening families…your brothers are all bark and no bite. Although," he considered, "they were less than enthused when we told them, weren't they?"

Ginny laughed at the memory. It had been easy to keep their relationship under wraps for about a week after the shed. The family was used to them spending so much time together. But Ginny had long since learned that keeping a secret in her family was a near impossibility, so at the Weasley Sunday brunch that week, she'd broken the news.

* * *

><p>"<em>So," Ginny started nonchalantly. She had learned from experience that it was better to face incredibly awkward situations head-on.<em>

"_Hey, Gin, can you pass the eggs?" Charlie cut in. She nudged the bowl over to him and continued unfazed._

"_So. Draco and I are dating now."_

_The clattering of plates and buzz of conversation stopped short. Ginny forced herself to keep eating her breakfast into the dead silence as if nothing whatsoever had happened. Beside her, Draco was doing a frankly impressive job of continuing with his breakfast as well. Ginny had a feeling he had had his fair share of awkward family meals._

"_Er, Ginny," Fred said finally, "Would you mind repeating that?"_

"_We're dating now," Draco said for her. Ginny looked up, affixed Fred with her most warning glare, and nodded confirmation._

"_Well, wait a second," Charlie said, and from the tone of his voice Ginny knew this was going to be a problem. "How long has this been going on?"_

"_About a week," Ginny said, speaking softly to try to diffuse the situation. "And it's really not that big of a deal."_

"_No, Ginny, it actually _is_ a big deal," Bill said. "Being friends is one thing, and we all held our tongues about that because we knew you were cooped up in here…."_

"_But this is another thing entirely," George cut in loudly. "His family's all mixed up with You-Know-Who. And he doesn't exactly have the best track record either. No offense, Malfoy," he said, glancing almost apologetically at Draco, who waved it off._

"_Look, we know he's been an okay bloke since he's been here, but you can't actually be serious about dating him!" Bill said._

"_Hey, wait just a minute," Ginny said, temper rising, "I'm perfectly serious, and last time I checked, none of you have any say in my love life. How many times do we have to have this conversation, anyway?"_

"_Mum, Dad," Charlie cut in, appealing to his parents, "Aren't you going to do something?"_

"_Charlie Weasley, they don't have anything to do with this either!" Ginny said angrily, pushing away her plate and glaring at him._

"_Well if you're not going to make the responsible decision," Charlie countered, standing angrily, "It's their job to make it for you."_

_Ginny opened her mouth to retort, but Mr. Weasley spoke over her. "All right, all right, calm down."_

"_And _you_," Mrs. Weasley said, glaring at Charlie, "Sit down right now. What kind of children have I raised…yelling at each other over the breakfast table…." She shook her head, and Charlie sat down, cowed._

"_The fact of the matter is, boys," Mr. Weasley said, "You're all adults now, including Ginny, and you make your own decisions. And the best we can do is support her and be there for her no matter what happens as a result."_

_Ginny sat back and crossed her arms contentedly._

"_So we're just supposed to sit around and wait for _this_," Fred gestured between Ginny and Draco, "to end badly?"_

"_Yes," Ginny said warningly._

_Draco looked at Fred curiously before he spoke. "What makes you think it's going to end?"_

_Ten minutes later, Ginny and Draco left the table and headed outside to the pond. The weather was getting cooler, and Draco put his arm around her shoulder for warmth. "Now what?" he said finally._

"_Now," Ginny replied knowingly, "We wait."_

"_For what?"_

"_For the apologies."_

_Draco laughed. "You seem awfully sure your brothers are going to come around."_

"_They always do," Ginny said. "It's a pattern, see? For example, once in Fifth Year, Ron caught me snogging Dean Thomas behind a tapestry…."_

"_Classy, Weasley," Draco snorted, and Ginny shoved him before continuing._

"_And he wrote to all of my brothers, and they all went caveman on me and lectured me about bad decisions and responsibility and whatnot. Within a week, I had apologies from all of them. They know they have to let me make my own choices," she said, "They just can't help being colossal prats sometimes. It's a knee-jerk reaction." Draco laughed. "Granted, it's a little different this time, so it might take a few extra days. But they'll definitely come around sooner rather than later."_

"_I'm glad you're so confident."_

"_Stick with me, Malfoy," Ginny teased, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. "I'll show you the ropes."_

* * *

><p>Draco whistled appreciatively. "You were right about those apologies, too," he said.<p>

"Yeah," Ginny reflected. "I got a letter from Bill that Tuesday, and Fred and George apologized on Thursday…and Charlie floo'd the next Saturday. See? I told you."

Draco grinned. "But like I said, I'm not afraid of your brothers. They're too…good…to ever do me serious harm, I think."

"Well, I'm glad to know it's just chivalrous impulse after all," Ginny said, shifting to kiss his neck.

"Not too chivalrous for this, though," Draco said, turning to tickle her and kiss her full on the mouth. Ginny shrieked with laughter as they wrestled across the bed. Outside, the wind whipped harder across the window panes.

* * *

><p>Ginny woke with a start. Beside her, his arm thrown across her body, Draco was sound asleep, his chest rising and falling slowly beneath his white sleeping shirt. She sat up slowly so as not to wake him and rubbed her eyes. It was still dark out, but the clock on the bedside table showed three a.m.<p>

She caught the sounds of quiet conversation downstairs, and realized that someone's voice must have woken her. Grabbing her wand, she slipped out of bed and tip-toed to the door, opening it slowly to avoid creaking and closing it behind her. The talking got louder as she walked down the stairs, and she discerned from the hum of familiar voices that a late-night Order meeting was being held in her living room. Ginny stopped on the stairs to listen.

"He's getting more and more desperate with each passing day," she heard Tonks say. Ginny had no doubt who 'he' was – Voldemort.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Bill answered. "It means Harry must be close to succeeding."

"Do we have any intelligence about Harry, Ron, and Hermione at all?" Mrs. Weasley said, and Ginny's breath hitched.

"No, but they've done the right thing going completely silent on this mission," Kingsley Shacklebolt replied. "It's a good sign that they were smart enough to know that getting in touch is too much of a risk. Too much is riding on their success. And Bill's right," he sighed, "You-Know-Who's desperation does mean that they are close."

"Yes," Mr. Weasley cut in, "but it also means that it's become incredibly dangerous for our agents on the inside. Like you, Remus. You took a great risk coming away from Greyback's pack tonight."

"It had to be done," Lupin replied. "I needed to be here to report. You-Know-Who has become unpredictable. He's lashing out at his own followers, and it's making them restless. Three days ago he murdered the entire Yaxley family."

There was a sharp intake of breath from the assembled Order members.

"But Yaxley was one of his favorites," Fleur said slowly.

"Apparently not. The Death Eaters are all scared," Lupin continued. "There are rumors that Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy might be next." Ginny froze.

"Because of Draco?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

There was silence, but Ginny knew Lupin must be nodding. He spoke more quietly as he said, "Anyone who has ever displeased him is fearful for their lives, and the fact that Draco is missing…it doesn't bode well for the Malfoys."

As she strained to make out Lupin's words, Ginny accidentally dropped her wand. "Bollocks!" she whispered. It fell down the remaining stairs with sharp cracks, and in a moment, her father and brother rounded the corner and were upon her, wands raised. They visibly relaxed at the sight of her.

"Come on, Ginny," Bill said, gesturing for her to join them in the living room.

"You really shouldn't be spying, Ginny," Tonks said as Ginny entered the room, but she grinned widely and her eyes sparkled.

"Hi," Ginny muttered rather sheepishly, settling herself beside Bill on the arm of the sofa. Mrs. Weasley gave Ginny a disapproving look, but the other Order members merely carried on the meeting as if nothing had happened.

"Is there anything we can do to help Harry?" Bill said.

Shacklebolt sighed. "We can't. We don't even know where he is, let alone what he needs right now. And if we fumbled around in the dark trying to figure it out, we could easily be helping You-Know-Who as much as ourselves."

"So we just wait," Lupin confirmed. "We wait until he contacts us."

"But he may never do that!" Ginny couldn't help it. The words sprung from her lips in protest.

"Then we just wait and see what happens," Lupin said. "It's hard, but it's the best we can do for him right now."

"And what about the Malfoys…what can we do for them?" Ginny said. She knew she wasn't supposed to be here, let alone participating, but she couldn't help it.

"We can't do anything for them," Shacklebolt said with heavy finality. "If we try to warn them, we'll reveal that we have spies inside You-Know-Who's network. No, they picked their side, now they're dealing with the consequences."

"But Draco…."

"Cannot be told," Kingsley insisted. "He might do something rash, and then your entire family would be in danger. And he knows too much…who knows how many Order meetings the two of you have spied on." Ginny flushed. "No, we can't risk him being captured on some suicide mission."

Ginny was at a loss for words. Lupin, noticing her hesitation, spoke up. "It's important, Ginny," he said. "Draco can't know about this. Lucius and Narcissa can take care of themselves…they have thus far."

The meeting continued for half an hour longer, but Ginny couldn't keep her mind on it. All she could think about was Draco saying that his mother was one of the most important people in his life. He would want to do something to help her! How could she keep this from him!

When the meeting adjourned and the various Order members Floo'd back to their homes, Ginny crept back up to Draco's room.

"Mmm…where'd you go?" Draco mumbled, still half-asleep, as she slipped back under the covers.

Ginny braced herself to tell him what had happened, but the words died in her mouth. He would probably leave the Burrow this instant to warn his parents, and then he would be captured, and then her whole family would probably be killed for hiding him. She thought of all of the times she and Draco had sat on the stairs listening to the Order talk about Harry and the Horcruxes. If they tortured him, Draco would hold out as long as he could…she knew that. But he couldn't hold out forever, and then Harry and Ron and Hermione would probably be found and killed too. Shacklebolt had been right: it would be a suicide mission, and everyone she loved would be the collateral damage. No, Lucius and Narcissa had survived for this long…they would be all right.

"Ginny?" Draco mumbled again, turning toward her. His eyes opened every so slightly, and she forced herself to smile.

"It was nothing," she said softly, "I just went down to make myself a snack. Go back to sleep."

"Come here," Draco said, and Ginny crawled into the warmth of his arms, the guilt heavy in her stomach. She didn't fall asleep again that night.

Ginny didn't breathe a word of the Order meeting to Draco. She continued with her Seventh Year material, joining Draco for flying breaks in between chapters. It wasn't until a lazy Saturday afternoon three weeks later that Ginny's silence caught up with her.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: Ack – sorry about the cliffie! But, I think you will all be proud to know that I have already written the next chapter and will post it in a few days. Yay for reforming my updating habits! Please review – I'm going to start responding to any questions that you ask in reviews (finally figured out how to do that, haha). Much love, mugglehugger.<p> 


	9. Here By Me

Author's Note: Here, as promised is the next chapter! I think you guys are going to like this one :) The chapter title is a reference to the song "Here By Me" by 3 Doors Down, which I love. Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8: Here By Me<br>**

_Ginny didn't breathe a word of the Order meeting to Draco. She continued with her Seventh Year material, joining Draco for flying breaks in between chapters. It wasn't until a lazy Saturday afternoon three weeks later that Ginny's silence caught up with her._

It was one of those rare fall days when the sun is warm and bright, and they were taking full advantage of it. Ginny had thrown some snacks and a blanket in a canvas market bag, and they were lying together in the tall grass.

"Okay, okay," Ginny said, "I've got one. Would you rather have to spend a week in the Forbidden Forest without you wand…."

Draco cringed, and Ginny grinned gleefully at him. "…_or_ eat breakfast in the Great Hall _completely starkers_?"

"Starkers," Draco said immediately.

"No way!" Ginny cried, throwing a cherry at him. "You would sit there butt-naked for the whole of Hogwarts to see? What about the First-Years! You'd scar them for life!"

"Oh thanks a lot, Weasley," Draco said, making a face at her. "And I'll take that over dying alone and wandless in the Forbidden Forest any day, thanks very much."

"I didn't say _dying_…I said a week in there with no wand."

"Amounts to the same thing," Draco insisted.

"I could survive, I bet," Ginny said.

"And when the huge, hairy Acromantula comes at in the night, you would…?" Draco trailed off expectantly.

"Punch it in the face," Ginny replied.

Draco guffawed. "Punch it in the face!"

"Yep," Ginny confirmed. "Square in the eyes."

"All eight of them," Draco muttered. "Somehow I doubt that your punch would kill an Acromantula."

"You've obviously never been on the receiving end of one of my punches," Ginny quipped, and Draco laughed again.

"You would never," Draco teased, leaning over to kiss her.

"Well let that be a warning to you," Ginny said, moving her lips beneath his. Draco rolled a little onto his back so that she lay across his chest, and things were just getting a little more heated than usual when there was a loud cough behind them.

"I think you two better come inside," Fred said from where he was standing over them, his eyebrows raised at their compromising position.

"What's this about?" Ginny asked, quickly righting herself and throwing their food and blanket back into the bag.

"Lupin's here," Fred said, "He wants to talk to Malfoy. You better hurry back," he said, turning to Draco, "It's important." Ginny's heart was suddenly beating hard in her chest.

Draco shot Ginny a confused look, then shrugged and started back to the house at an easy jogging pace.

"Fred, what's going on?" Ginny said, and Fred shook his head at her somberly. His serious expression all but confirmed her worst fears. Fred was never serious unless something was really, really wrong. "Is it his parents?" Ginny pressed.

"His mother," Fred said, "She was found dead this morning. Remus says You-Know-Who tortured her. But she wouldn't say anything about Draco." Ginny felt bile rising in her throat.

"Oh, Merlin," she said. "This is going to kill him." Ginny started off at a run toward the house, but Fred grabbed her arm and held her.

"Ginny, he needs to hear this alone," he said. "There's nothing you can do."

"Nothing I can do now!" Ginny cried, pulling away. But she kept Fred's slow pace. "Bloody hell, I knew she was in danger. I should have told him!"

"Hey, hey, hey," Fred said, taking hold of her shoulders. "What are you talking about?"

"I spied on an Order meeting a few weeks ago," Ginny explained, "The Order knew the Malfoys were in danger, but they didn't do anything, and they said I shouldn't tell him because he'd do something rash."

"Which he would have," Fred said slowly.

"But now his mother is _dead_, Fred! Dead," Ginny said, all the fight suddenly going out of her.

"You did the right thing, Ginny."

She looked at Fred sadly. "I don't think he's going to see it that way."

She opened the Burrow door hesitantly, nervous about what she would find. Her parents, George, Bill, and Lupin were sitting around the kitchen table, somber looks on all of their faces.

"Where is he?" Ginny asked.

"He went upstairs," Bill said.

"Maybe it's better if you give him some time," Mrs. Weasley added, standing and guiding Ginny to a chair beside her. "Let me make you some tea, dear."

As much as she wanted to race into Draco's room and tell him how incredibly sorry she was and how deeply she felt his pain, Ginny knew that her mother was right. If this had happened to her, she knew that she would want to be left alone to grieve. At least for a little while.

* * *

><p>Draco did not emerge from his room for days, and Ginny heeded her mother's warnings to stay away. "When Gideon and Fabian died," Molly Weasley said, rubbing her daughter's back, "I kept to myself for a week…wouldn't see anyone. Just give him time." At mealtimes, Ginny insisted that she be the one to bring a tray of food up to his door. She never saw him, but the food was always eaten and the empty tray placed back outside.<p>

Finally, after three days, Ginny knew that she needed to at least check on him. That night, on her way to bed, she knocked softly on his bedroom door, and when there was no response, she let herself inside.

"Draco?" she said. The room was dark. "Lumos," Ginny whispered. By the light of her wand, she could see Draco lying on his back on the bed.

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice stiff.

Ginny walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. She placed her hand gently on his leg. Draco was neatly dressed and even clean-shaven, but she could tell by the deep bags under his eyes that he hadn't been sleeping. The red rims beneath his lids showed that he had been crying, and Ginny felt a stab in her chest. She had never seen him cry before.

"I just wanted…," Ginny said softly. "I just wanted to see how you're doing."

Draco exhaled sharply, his breath hitching. "I'm fine," he said.

Ginny sighed and crawled up onto the bed next to him, molding her body against his side and resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Is it okay if I stay here with you?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," Draco replied.

They lay in silence for a long time. Ginny was beginning to think that Draco had fallen asleep when he finally spoke.

"I should have been there."

Ginny didn't reply, she just settled her hand on his chest so he knew she was listening.

"I should have stayed with her and taken the blame for my own failure. It was _me_ he wanted. I should've been a man and stayed."

"Hey, hey, hey," Ginny soothed. "Your mum was the one who wanted you to come here and be safe, remember? She knew the risks. This isn't your fault at all. It's You-Know-Who's fault. His alone."

"But I should have gone back. If I had known she was in danger, I would have gone back and then she wouldn't be dead. I knew it was going to be difficult for her…convincing everyone that I was missing…but I didn't think…I never thought…." Draco trailed off, and the pain in his voice was palpable. "Damnit, if I had _just realized_ how bad things were getting for her, I would have gone back!" he said suddenly, his voice rising.

Ginny's heart sank. She had to tell him. He was beating himself up, wondering how he could have missed the danger his parents had been in over the past few weeks. But in reality, they had all kept him in the dark. _She_ had kept him in the dark.

"Draco," Ginny said slowly, "there's something I have to tell you. A few weeks ago, the Order got reports that your parents were in danger." Draco stiffened against her, but Ginny pressed on. "But they…I…didn't tell you, because we knew you would do something rash and…."

Draco cut her off, and his voice was terrifyingly cold. "You knew about this?"

Ginny cringed. "Yes, I did know. And I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, but I knew you would want to go back and I couldn't let that happen, Draco. You would have been killed or captured and…."

Draco shoved her away and stood, the anger obvious in his posture and in the harshness of his gaze. "So you did it for my own good, is that it? Does it _look_ like I'm doing well now? Does it!"

Ginny sat straight, taking the full force of his anger. "Yes, it was for you, but it was also for my family. Do you know what would happen to us if you were captured and questioned? And who knows what they might have gotten you to tell them about Harry and Ron and Hermione? It was too great a risk!"

Draco mouth moved in a grimace, as if he wanted to yell a retort, but he stopped himself short. "Get out, Ginny," he said coldly, his eyes flashing in warning.

"No," Ginny replied. He had good reason to be angry, she knew, but she had done what she thought was right, and _damnit_, he was going to let her explain. "We are not ending this conversation that way! What chance do you think you would have had against You-Know-Who and all of the Death Eaters, huh? You're an amazing wizard, Draco, but you wouldn't have had a chance in hell! And even if you had given yourself up to them, they would have tortured you. They would have wanted to know who had been sheltering you, what Harry's mission was, everything about the Order. You have the understand that I couldn't take that risk!"

"So you just decided to sacrifice my mother on the alter of the cause without even consulting me?" Draco retorted. "Don't you think I should have gotten some say? I'm the one that has to deal with the consequences! The _guilt_, Ginny," he said, and his voice broke on the word. "The _guilt_ of having someone hurt so horribly because of you…you have no bloody idea what it's doing to me. You have no bloody idea how this feels!"

Ginny didn't answer for a long time. Finally, she spoke so softly that Draco was caught off guard. "I do know." She paused, unsure how to continue. "Do you remember your Second Year? When the Chamber of Secrets was opened and all of those students were Petrified?"

Draco nodded.

Ginny laughed mirthlessly. "I've never talked about this with anyone," she said. She took a deep breath, exhaled. "I was the one who opened the Chamber."

She kept her eyes firmly fixed on the bedspread as she told him about the diary and Tom and the horrible feeling of waking up in the Chamber. She told him how, even now, she couldn't look at Hermione or Penelope or any of the others without feeling a pang of guilt in her abdomen.

When she finally stopped speaking, all of the anger had left Draco's eyes. He sat down next to her on the bed and put his arms around her, laying down with her on the bed. "Why haven't you ever said anything about it?" he said.

"I've never told anyone. Only my family and a few other people know. Being possessed by You-Know-Who isn't exactly an experience you want to dwell on," she said. "And anyway, your…."

"My father," Draco said, and the venom in his voice surprised even Ginny. She nodded. "I didn't think he could do something like that. He's always had a mean streak, and he loves to play mindgames, but _an eleven-year-old girl_?"

Ginny sighed. "It's the closest I've ever been to death, I think. And the closest I've ever been to killing someone."

"It wouldn't have been you who killed them," Draco said, burying his lips in her hair.

"Just like it isn't you who killed your mother," Ginny replied.

Draco was silent. "I still wish you had told me."

"I know," Ginny said. "Openness, from now on."

Draco sighed. "Okay."

"I'm glad I told you about the Chamber," Ginny said. "I really think that's the first time I've talked about it since it happened."

"I guess I understand why you're in love with Potter now," Draco said ruefully. "White knight and all that."

"_Was_. I _was_ in love with him."

"Do you have someone else in your sights these days?" Draco teased, his laugh the tiniest bit forced.

"Are you fishing for compliments, Malfoy?" Ginny quipped, poking his stomach.

Draco sighed, and just when Ginny was about to change the subject, he surprised her. "I love you, Ginny."

Ginny's breath caught in her throat. She turned to look him in the eyes. "You…what?"

"I'm in love with you," Draco repeated. "There, I've said it. I think we've proven tonight that we're both irreparably screwed up and you're an absolute nightmare to argue with. And you're bossy as all hell…."

"Well don't flatter me too much, Malfoy," Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"…but…it feels right. So there you have it."

"Are you done now?" Ginny asked.

Draco thought for a moment. "Yes."

"Good."

Ginny leaned over and kissed him deeply. She supposed that the high emotions of the night had forced everything out onto the table, and she realized that she had never felt closer to him than she did right now. "I love you too," she whispered. Their lips melted together, and Ginny rolled so that he was above her on the bed. She looked him straight in the eyes, and she knew he understood.

"Are you sure about this?" he said, hesitating. "If we go down this road…I don't know if I'll be able to stop."

Ginny nodded. "I'm sure," she said, meeting his lips again. Their emotions were raw and electric between them, and the stars and moon shone down on them through the skylight above.

* * *

><p>Waking the next morning was a revelation. Ginny felt Draco's smooth skin against her own and sighed contentedly.<p>

"Good morning," he said softly.

"Mmm, you're awake."

"Yeah," he said, kissing her forehead.

"How are you feeling?" she said gently.

He touched the crease that had formed in her forehead. "Better," Draco answered honestly.

They lay in silence for a while, Draco running his hands through her long hair, and Ginny contemplating the seemingly perfect contours of his face.

"So we're being open…from now on, right?" Draco said finally.

"That's the plan, yes," Ginny agreed. "Why? Do you have a secret to impart?"

"Of sorts," he replied cryptically, sitting abruptly and going to the desk.

"Oh," Ginny said surprisedly, sitting up herself and leaning against the headboard.

Draco produced an envelope from one of the desk drawers and came back to sit beside her in bed. "This," he said, tossing it into her lap, "came a week ago."

Ginny turned the envelope over and read the address. "It's to Ron," she said.

"Which for all intensive purposes, is me," Draco said. "Open it."

Ginny withdrew a piece of parchment from within the envelope and unfolded it.

"_Dear Mr. Weasley_", she read aloud.

"_I am pleased to inform you that, after careful consideration of all applicants, we have decided to offer you the position of Deputy Portfolios Manager at our institution._" Ginny glanced up at Draco, who gestured for her to keep reading.

"_Your resume is very impressive…we would like to offer you a salary of…_," Ginny skimmed. "_We would like you to start next week_…." She looked up sharply. "Draco, what is this?"

"Rainiers," he explained. "A Swiss bank. I applied for a position a few weeks ago."

"Wait, are you going to go?" Ginny asked, searching Draco's face.

"Well," he said, tenderly tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "I think we should both go."

Ginny sat bolt upright. "What are you talking about?" she said sharply.

Draco sighed heavily. "I'm going crazy here, Ginny. I haven't left the Burrow grounds as _myself_ for over a year now, and I can't…I can't take it anymore. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do this, because my parents were here, but now that my mum…," he stopped short. "In any case, I applied as Ron, but with my own resume. I'm sure they won't mind about the name change. No one knows me there anyway. And I could finally be myself again without worrying about running into Death Eaters on every street corner. But I want you to come with me, Ginny."

Ginny watched his excitement growing as he spoke, and she knew that he needed this. "I don't know if I can, Draco," she said slowly. "What would I even do in Switzerland? I don't even speak French."

"We can work on that!" Draco said. "And trust me, Ginny, any work you can find there will be better than sitting cooped up in the this house, afraid all the time."

"But, Draco, my family's here."

"Write to them," he said easily. "And we'll come home as soon as it's safe for us to start a real life here!" He paused and looked at her searchingly. "I know it'll be hard for you, because you've never moved away from home before, but I _need_ this, Ginny, and I'm not going to do it without you."

Ginny sighed and flopped back onto the bed, mind racing. She knew that when Draco had finished his Seventh Year studies, he had hit a dead end. And she knew that she was fast approaching that same dead end. How could they start careers and lives here when there was so much danger? No, he was right, the only thing they had left here was perpetual waiting. If they were really going to grow up, it was going to have to be abroad.

Following her impulse, Ginny turned to face him. "Okay," she said. "Let's do it."

* * *

><p>Author's Note: So, what did you think? I hope their declarations of love didn't seem too abrupt, but I think it fit. Ginny had just shared a very private part of herself with Draco (when she told him about the Chamber), so I think it makes sense that they would feel closer. Also, fair warning, I'm not going to be covering their time in Switzerland in detail. The next chapter will flash forward almost two years and you'll get to see a little bit of their life there. But then they're coming home. I couldn't leave England for long! Anyway, please review!<p> 


	10. Away Together

**Chapter 9: Away Together**

* * *

><p><em>Two years later<em>

Ginny hastily scribbled down the last of the page numbers on the blackboard just as the bell ending the day echoed in from the courtyard.

"And don't forget," she added over the hubbub of her students packing up to leave, "the rules for tomorrow's team competition are on the back of the handout I gave you, so look over that in advance!"

She set down the chalk and dusted off her hands, glancing at the clock at the back of the room. Five-thirty. The school days here at the International Academy of Magic, Geneva, were much longer than Ginny had been accustomed to at Hogwarts, but the Ministry diplomats and other high-powered wizards who sent their children here expected a rigorous curriculum. She picked up her wand and said a quick spell to straighten up a bit, then grabbed her rucksack from beneath her desk. Draco would be arriving in about an hour – plenty of time to have tea with Alexandra and Joel in the teacher's lounge beforehand. At the doorway, she paused. Then strode quickly back to her desk and retrieved today's newspaper from her top desk drawer. She scanned the headline again – for the fifth time that day – and shoved it into her bag.

"Tea, Ginny?" Joel said over his shoulder when she entered the lounge. A tall lanky American, he stood at the far end of the room at the tea and coffee table.

"Yes, thanks," Ginny said, "Milk and two sugars, please."

"Ooh, two sugars today?" Alex said from one of the sofas, scooting over to make room for Ginny. "Need the sugar rush, do you?"

Ginny sank down into the seat. "Desperately," she said. "I'm exhausted, and Draco's taking me out to some fancy place for dinner."

Alex clasped her hands and gave Ginny a sappy grin. "That is just the sweetest thing!" Ginny snorted in response. Alex, slightly plump with wisps of curly blonde hair, was a hopeless romantic. Ginny was half-convinced that one of these days she was going to give herself a stroke cooing over the tales of Draco Malfoy's romantic exploits.

"Oh, yeah, it's your second anniversary, isn't it?" Dex said, setting a tray of tea down on the table before them.

"Mmm," Ginny confirmed, sipping her tea and sighing contentedly. "Oh!" she said, "How'd your exams turn out, Lex?"

Alex groaned in response and settled her feet on the table. "Absolute nightmare," she said. "From the average score, you would think these kids had never even _heard_ of Muggles."

"That bad, huh?" Joel said consolingly.

"Worse," Alex continued. "Nearly three quarters of them mixed up tele_phones_ with tele_visions_. And to top it off, I think there are only two kids in the whole class that care in the slightest about Muggle Studies at all! Was it like that at Hogwarts?" she said, turning to Ginny.

"Well, there were a lot more Muggle-borns than there are here," Ginny said slowly, "But it wasn't one of the most popular subjects, to be totally honest."

"Ugh," Alex sighed, "It's like trying to push a boulder up a steep hill."

"Nah," Joel said, "It's tough this time of year no matter what. All of the kids are obsessed with their summer plans. One foot out the door already. Hell, even Ginny, who teaches arguably one of the more popular subjects – Charms – is having a hard time keeping them interested, aren't you, Gin?"

"Definitely," Ginny said, "It's come to the point where I'm giving up on actual lectures and just letting them play a huge game in hopes that they'll pick something up along the way."

"Is that the competition thing you were talking about?" Alex said, slightly appeased now.

"Yep, that's the one."

"Good idea, that," Joel commented.

"Enough about my stupid exam nightmare," Alex said, sitting up straighter and affixing Ginny with a hopeful look. "Where's Mr. Dreamy taking you tonight?"

Ginny grinned at the nickname. Ever since Draco had come by the school for the first time a few months earlier, Alex and Joel had been teasing her non-stop about how "dreamy" he was. Ginny couldn't help feeling a little proud.

"Um, I think to that little bistro a few blocks from here," she replied, "You know, the one with the really good duck dish?"

"Oh, _that_ one! He's really shelling out the big bucks," Joel laughed. "That promotion must have come with a big raise."

Ginny shrugged, blushing a little. Three months ago, Draco's boss had retired and he had been promoted to Head Portfolios Manager.

"And what are you wearing?" Alex said. "That's a fancy place, you know."

Ginny rummaged in her rucksack and produced her favorite little black dress and a pair of slinky strapped heels.

"Well, go put them on!" Alex said, gesturing toward the door to the private bathroom. Grinning, Ginny retreated into the bathroom and pulled on the dress and shoes. She'd found the dress in the city center when they had first arrived in Geneva, and it had been her favorite ever since. The collar dipped _just enough_, and the clingy fabric hugged her slim body in the perfect places. "Ta-da!" she said, coming out of the room, "What do you think?"

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, Ginny emerged from the front of the school. Draco was already there, leaning cooly against the stair railing in his suit. Ginny stood for just a moment to watch him brush his hair back from his face and slide his hands back into his pockets. She was always struck by how effortlessly well-bred and dashing he looked. She figured it had to be something about his upbringing. She smiled a little to herself and strode over to him.<p>

"Hello, handsome," she said, leaning up to give him a peck on the cheek. He turned his head at the last moment to kiss her deeply on the lips. Ginny's breath caught in her throat the way it always did when he kissed her this way.

"Happy anniversary," he said softly. "You look great," he added, stepping back and observing her dress appreciatively.

"Mmm, thanks," Ginny said, striking a pose.

Draco laughed. "Very sexy," he said, "We better get out of here before my girlfriend sees us and gets jealous. Maybe after dinner we could head back to my place?" He waggled his eyebrows at her.

Ginny grinned and grabbed his hand, leading him down the street and allowing her hips to sway provocatively. "If you're lucky," she said, smirking at him over her shoulder.

"Ever the tease," Draco said, laughingly following her toward the restaurant.

They were seated before one of the bistro's large bay windows, and Ginny admired the view of the quaint little street as they waited for their food to arrive.

"How was work?" Draco said, topping off her glass with a rich red wine.

"Oh, the usual," Ginny said, taking a sip. "Kids are getting restless, but that's understandable I suppose. I'm hoping the competition tomorrow will get them more excited."

"Explain that again?"

"Well, I've divided them into five teams of four, and I've set each team three fairly difficult tasks that they need to accomplish using the charms we've gone over this term," Ginny said. "The team that wins gets a ten percent bump on their final exam."

"That's quite a bump," Draco observed.

"I'm trying to motivate them here! The tasks are actually pretty difficult. For example, I've placed objects behind my desk where they can't see them that they have to levitate, and since the objects aren't in their direct line of vision, they're going to have to figure out how to perform pretty strong summoning and levitation spells simultaneously. Should be interesting."

Draco was regarding her with an odd smile on his face. "You're a really great teacher, Gin," he said. "It's pretty amazing, actually. All the ideas you have, I mean."

Ginny grinned under the praise. "Well gee," she said, "Thanks. I do try."

Their meals arrived shortly, and between bites of heavenly roast duck and buttery mashed potatoes, they discussed Draco's job.

"The Portland file is in absolute disarray record-wise," Draco sighed. "I don't know what Collins was doing. He did things and didn't write anything down about it. It's a real mess."

"Is Mr. Portland going to be really unhappy with you?"

"Well," Draco said, smiling ruefully, "I'm hoping he doesn't even find out the state it's in. There's a whole bevy of assistants working to sort it out before we meet with Portland on Monday."

Ginny snorted. "Bevy of assistants? Since when did you become so important that there's a bevy of assistants available to do your bidding?"

Draco grinned. "The many perks of the promotion."

"Indeed."

They lapsed into silence as the waiter came to take their plates away. "So," Ginny said when they had been handed dessert menus, "Did you read the paper today?"

"Yeah, that's the sixth Death Eater that's been killed with no retaliation in the past month, isn't it?" Draco replied.

Ginny nodded. "Yeah. This one was assaulting a muggle girl in West London and some wizard walked by and hexed him. The Death Eater ended up dead, but You-Know-Who hasn't done anything in response."

"It's a good sign, definitely," Draco said. "Add that to all the Death Eaters who have been disappearing, and I'd say…." He stopped short.

Ginny pressed on. "Well the paper reported rumors that Harry, Ron, and Hermione have succeeded and that You-Know-Who is actually dead. I guess the only thing is," Ginny added, the words streaming from her lips and only keeping her voice from rising in excitement with difficulty, "if they've really killed him, why haven't they contacted anyone?"

Draco shrugged. "It's possible they don't have access to an Owl."

Ginny nodded slowly. Draco always got curiously withdrawn whenever they talked about Harry's mission, and Ginny didn't want to press the issue over their anniversary dinner.

"Anyway," she said, "I think I'm going to try the chocolate souffle. What about you?"

* * *

><p>By the time they had eaten dessert and walked the five moonlit blocks back to their flat, all trace of awkwardness was gone. Ginny flipped the light switch and slid off her heels, sighing happily.<p>

"Why were high heels ever invented?" she mused.

"Because they make women's legs look fantastic," Draco replied. "Beauty is pain, you know," he added mischievously.

Ginny chuckled. "I'm gonna go change into my pajamas," she said, moving toward the bedroom.

"No, wait," Draco said, holding her arm. "I really like that dress on you."

"That great, huh?" Ginny joked, twirling playfully.

"You have no idea."

Ginny laughed. "I bet you use that line on all the girls, Mr. Malfoy," she quipped.

"I'm not joking, Ginny," Draco said, and his expression sobered her. "You really are absolutely beautiful." Ginny felt butterflies in her stomach. Draco had a way of doing that – teasing her and making her laugh one second, then catching her off guard with a comment like _that_ the next. And she responded the way she always responded; she couldn't help it. She stood on her toes to kiss him.

His hand came up to brush a lock of copper hair behind her ear. The bedroom was only feet away, and Ginny gave herself up to it all.

The next morning, Ginny woke and tiptoed into the kitchen. She made two piping hot mugs of tea and a breakfast of eggs and slightly burnt bacon and set it all on a tray with a little white flower cut from the windowbox. When she brought the tray back into the bedroom, Draco was sitting up, yawning and rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"What's this?" he said sleepily.

"Breakfast in bed, you layabout," Ginny replied, pouring milk into the tea mugs. "But don't expect this on a regular basis," she added, "this is a very special occasion."

Draco grinned into his own mug. "I'm sufficiently awed," he said. "Thanks."

"Did you mum teach you how to cook all the things you make?" he added.

"Yeah," Ginny confirmed. "Except my meat pie – the one you say is like shoving an angry dragon into your arteries? That one is an original culinary invention of Charlie's."

"I should have known," Draco responded, spearing some egg with his fork.

Just then, there was a tapping on the window. Draco set aside his fork and stood. He opened the window to one of the haughty international post owls that Mrs. Weasley used to deliver letters to them. "It's from your mum," he said said, taking the envelope. "You're welcome to rest here for a while if you want," he added to the owl. "There's a bowl of food in the kitchen." The bird seemed to understand him – the international post owls were known for their intelligence – and flew straight to the kitchen.

"I'll bet it tops six pages this time," Ginny said, sipping her tea and settling herself back under the covers.

Draco grinned. Ever since they'd left England, Ginny and "Ron" had been receiving bi-weekly letters from Mrs. Weasley, who wanted to know anything and everything about how they were getting on and who reported family news in extreme detail. She referred to Order business in only the vaguest terms…they couldn't be certain that international post wasn't being intercepted by Voldemort's forces.

Draco flicked open the envelope and started to skim the page. "Is Fleur's morning sickness improving?" Ginny said, "I sent her that nausea charm last time."

Draco didn't answer. Ginny looked up to find him looking blankly at the parchment, a stunned expression on his face.

Ginny's stomach plummeted. "What is it?" she said, her voice dropping to a terrified whisper.

"No, no, nobody's hurt," Draco said quickly. "It's just…." He trailed off, and simply held out the letter.

Ginny grabbed it and read.

_Dearest Ginny and Ron,_

_I can hardly write from excitement! I've spoken to the KS and the others in my club, and in light of all the Death Eater deaths and disappearances and other pieces of information, they all agreed that it would be safe for you to come home! I don't know what they've been reporting in the Swiss papers – I expect they're being cautious about being too optimistic – but we've hardly seen any Death Eaters at all over the past several weeks. They've all just _gone_! Many of the shops have opened again on Diagon Alley and there haven't been any checkpoints at transportation sites._

_We think – well, we _hope_ – that it might all be over. Really, truly over. We haven't heard any news_ – (whenever her mother referred to "news," Ginny knew she was talking about the Trio) _– but our hopes are high. Your father and I know, of course, that you two have settled into jobs and a life away from home, but please do remember that _this_ is your home. Please consider coming back to us. It would mean the world to have everyone together during all this._

_Love, Mum._

The paper slipped from Ginny's fingers onto the duvet. She looked up at Draco. She couldn't speak for a moment.

"It's even better than we thought," Draco said finally.

"Well…," Ginny said slowly, looking searchingly into Draco's eyes. But his expression was inscrutable. "I think we have to go back…."

"We do?" he said softly.

Ginny nodded assent. "Yeah, we do. It's my family, Draco, and I'm sure they wouldn't be telling us we could come home if it wasn't safe…."

Draco sighed harshly and ran a hand through his hair. For a moment Ginny thought that he might actually refuse.

But all he said was, "You're right, of course. We were always going to go back. It's just so…sudden."

"I know," Ginny said, grabbing his wrist gently and pulling him down to sit on the bed beside her. "But I can look for teaching jobs at home, and I'm sure Bill knows about placements at Gringotts…."

"Yeah," Draco said softly. He turned to look her full in the face. "You're happy to go back, aren't you?"

Ginny couldn't help her mouth from breaking into a wide smile. "Yes," she agreed, "Yes, I can't wait to see everyone again…I really am happy to go home."

Draco smiled, and it only looked a little bit forced. He leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. "We're going home," he said.

Ginny laughed aloud. _They were going home._

* * *

><p>Author's Note: I'm sorry this took so long. A TON of stuff has been happening in my "real life"…my summer internship ended and I flew back to the States (goodbye, beautiful UK), I turned twenty (yesterday!), and tomorrow I'm off on a short trip with some friends! So lots of traveling and craziness going on. But I hope it was at least moderately worth the wait! It's mostly fluff to give you a little insight into their two years in Switzerland, but now they're heading back and next chapter will be the one you've all been waiting for – Harry's return! Woot woot!<p>

Anyways, I'm a bit delirious right now – still on England time – so I had better get myself to bed. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter – please review! Love, mugglehugger.


	11. Reunions

**Chapter 10: Reunions**

* * *

><p>"Well, Miss Weasley," Professor McGonagall said, scrawling her signature across the bottom of the parchment, "Congratulations, and welcome to the staff." The professor smiled warmly at Ginny across the desk, and Ginny grinned back.<p>

"You'll start work the week before term officially begins," McGonagall continued. "There will be several faculty meetings at that time, and you'll have time to work on your course plans before the students arrive. You'll have a bit more paperwork to fill out then, but as far as I'm concerned you're now an official Hogwarts professor." She produced her wand from within her robe sleeve and flicked it to send Ginny's contract into the file cabinet behind her desk.

"I actually do have one more question, Professor…," Ginny said.

"Please, Ginny," McGonagall interrupted, "You may have been my student, but we're colleagues now. Call me Minerva."

"_Minerva_," Ginny began again – the name felt awkward on her lips – "It's a question about living arrangements. It's my understanding that professors have rooms here on the grounds?" McGonagall nodded. "Are there ever cases of professors living elsewhere? You see, given my current living situation, I would prefer to live off-grounds."

McGonagall looked thoughtful, and Ginny was surprised that the professor didn't ask her to elaborate on her "current living situation." She supposed that McGonagall already knew about her and Draco via the Order. "Unfortunately, the housing of professors on the grounds is important for both the safety and discipline of the students. Professors must be readily available in cases of emergency, and on nights particularly…popular…with rowdier students – Halloween, after exams, the like – we like to have professors patrolling the halls. So, you see, it would be rather inconvenient for you to live anywhere but your accommodations here at Hogwarts."

Ginny nodded, determined to keep the disappointment off of her face. "Of course, Minerva, I understand."

"You will of course have most weekends off, professors take those in turns, and you may certainly go where ever you like then. And overnight guests are allowed one night a week, as long as you remain relatively discreet. Married professors," McGonagall added, as an afterthought, "are subject to a different set of rules, but I don't think that's relevant at this point?"

Ginny shook her head. She and Draco hadn't even discussed marriage.

"Then, I'm very sorry, but we're going to require that you live here at Hogwarts."

"That's very fair, thank you," Ginny said quickly, not wanting McGonagall to feel that she was being demanding. The professor had been incredibly helpful already. "I really appreciate the opportunity, really," Ginny said honestly, standing and shaking McGonagall's hand. "I look forward to starting in a few weeks."

"We look forward to having you, Ginny," McGonagall replied.

"Miss Weasley," she added, just as Ginny reached the door to the office. "You musn't think that our rules regarding living arrangements are anything against you and Mr. Malfoy." Ginny's eyes widened, but she stayed silent. McGonagall sat back in her chair and smiled kindly at Ginny as she spoke. "In fact, I rather think that Professor Dumbledore," she glanced at the gently smiling portrait of her predecessor that hung to the right of her desk, "would think that the two of you are a real testament to what all of this war and pain and suffering can accomplish. The breakdown of old prejudices, that is."

Ginny didn't know what to say. McGonagall's words actually made a laugh rise up in her throat. She and Draco had just fallen together. It certainly hadn't been a testament to the breakdown of anything. But she forced down the giggle and smiled politely. "That's very nice of you to say," she finally replied.

McGonagall nodded. "Well, I'll see you in four weeks then. Good afternoon."

Ginny let herself out of the office and maneuvered down the spiral staircase and into the hall before allowing herself to perform a little victory jig. _Charms professor_. A _Hogwarts professor_! It was unbelievable.

Still giddy with excitement, Ginny exited the castle and crossed the grounds at a quick pace. The atmosphere along the main street of Hogsmeade was more relaxed than Ginny had seen it in years, and she took a few moments to wander about, soaking it in. Everywhere was like this now. Draco and Ginny had given leave at work, and after term had ended at the Academy, they'd packed up their apartment and come back to England.

Her mum had been right, of course. Ginny hadn't seen a single Death Eater since she'd been home, and there hadn't been an incident involving Voldemort's cronies in months. People were coming out of hiding, and McGonagall had said it herself in their interview – muggleborns and half-bloods and blood-traitors were enrolling at Hogwarts again for the upcoming term. They still hadn't heard from the Trio, but Ginny had a feeling – a feeling that made happiness well up in her stomach – that it was only a matter of time before they appeared.

Ginny Apparated back to the new flat that she and Draco had purchased – Draco especially had made enough money in Geneva to afford it – and felt a pang of regret that she wouldn't be able to live here permanently during termtime.

"Gin?" Draco called from their bedroom. "Is that you?"

Ginny dropped her bag on the sofa and headed in to meet him. "Say hello to the new Hogwarts Charms professor!" she said, striking a pose in the doorway.

"Congratulations!" Draco said, grinning and shoving away the stack of papers on his knee. He patted the bed beside him. "She offered you the job on the spot?"

"Well it wasn't _quite_ that easy," she admitted, bounding onto the bed. "She asked me loads of questions and there were a few technical ones as well. But then she drew up the contract and that was that!"

"Well I'm glad you got it," he said, planting a kiss on her temple.

"She did say I have to live on the grounds, though," Ginny added, "I'll get most weekends off to come back here, and you're allowed to sleep over in my rooms once a week, but that's it."

Draco sighed. "Well that's what I thought it'd be. I guess I'll just be puttering around this flat all alone, then."

"Like you'd ever putter," Ginny snorted. "S'alright though, don't you think? Not ideal, but what better teaching position am I going to get? Plus, you know my mum wasn't too thrilled about us living together."

"But we lived together for two years in Geneva!" Draco protested.

"Yes, of course," Ginny said wearily, "But she didn't have to be around it."

Just then, Ginny heard the soft crackle of the fireplace as it burst into flames in the living room. "I'll get it," she said. "You finish those off," she added, gesturing to the papers Draco had pushed aside.

"Bloody Gringotts and their bloody paperwork," he muttered, picking up his quill again. "It's not like I'm applying to work with the Minister of Magic."

"No, just his gold," Ginny quipped. Draco glared at her, and she chuckled as she left the room.

Mrs. Weasley was in the fireplace, and she smiled brightly when Ginny came into view.

"Ginny, dear, how's the moving in going?"

"Hey, Mum," Ginny replied, glancing around the room. There were still a few unopened boxes – the ones that contained picture frames for the mantelpiece, books, and the like – but everything big had already been unpacked. "It's pretty much done. A few things here and there, but we're all settled in."

Ginny considered telling her mum about the job offer at Hogwarts. She was bursting to break the news. But no, she would wait until dinner tonight so she could tell the whole family at once.

"That's very good," Mrs. Weasley said, nodding sagely. Ginny knew that her mother disapproved in her heart of hearts of her only daughter living with her boyfriend, but they'd already discussed it and Ginny doubted she would bring it up again.

"You haven't forgotten about dinner tonight, have you? I know you and Draco have been busy looking for jobs and getting settled, but all of the boys want to see you!"

"Of course I haven't forgotten, Mum," Ginny said. "Wouldn't miss it for the world!"

Mrs. Weasley beamed and opened her mouth to continue, but Mr. Weasley's panicked voice filtered in from the next room. "Molly! This pot is beginning to boil over!"

"All right, hang on," Mrs. Weasley said over her shoulder. She looked back to Ginny and rolled her eyes conspiratorially. "I asked your father to watch the beef stew. He's hopeless in the kitchen, you know." Ginny grinned.

"But Ginny, I was wondering if you would mind dropping by Diagon Alley on your way over to get me a few last minute ingredients?"

"Yeah, of course, Mum," Ginny said. "When do you need them by?"

"Molly!" Mr. Weasley was calling again.

"I'm coming, Arthur, just turn down the stove, will you?" Mrs. Weasley hollered. "Well everyone's arriving around five, so how about you bring the things round by four-thirty? That should be plenty of time."

"Molly!"

Mrs. Weasley sighed heavily and started to move away from the grate. "All right, I'll have Errol fly the list over. Thanks, dear, see you soon!"

"It's three thirty now," Draco said from the doorway behind her. "If we go now we can walk around a bit...won't be in a rush."

"You just can't get enough of walking around, can you?" Ginny laughed, standing.

"Can you blame me? Wandering Diagon Alley without having to deal with the unweildy limbs of your git of a brother…," Draco said, waxing sentimental.

Ginny gave him the obligatory punch in the shoulder. Draco dodged and laughed. "Heavenly…," Draco said.

"Lemme just change out of all this," Ginny said, gesturing to the formal robes she'd worn to her interview with McGonagall. Heading back into the bedroom, Ginny tugged on a gray t-shirt and denim shorts and slipped her feet into her most comfortable pair of trainers. She grabbed a hairtie from her dresser and was just about to swing her hair up into a ponytail when Draco stopped her.

"Leave it down," he said, leaning down to kiss her. "I like it down."

Ginny tutted. "It's getting too long, though," she sighed, but she looped the hairtie around her wrist and swung her handbag over her shoulder. "All right, all set."

A few minutes later, a very weary looking Errol arrived at the flat with a short grocery list. Ginny scanned it, then tucked it into her bag. "It's not much," she said to Draco, "Mostly things for a peach and apple pie. And a few cleaning supplies and things."

"Perfect," Draco said, and he stuck out his tongue at her just as he Apparated away. Rolling her eyes, Ginny followed.

* * *

><p>In a moment, they were standing together a few meters from the main road. The familiar bustle of the Alley made Ginny smile. It was good to be home.<p>

They wandered among the stalls for the next half hour, soaking in the sights and smells and sounds. With the sun on her face and Draco's arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders, Ginny felt happier than she could ever remember feeling. She hadn't felt this carefree since before her first year. It felt amazing.

As the clocktower down the street struck four o'clock, Ginny dug in her bag for the list. "Maybe you could get the cleaning supplies? I can start in on the pie things?" she said.

"Yeah, sure…I'll find you around the fruit carts?"

Ginny nodded, and Draco headed off in the opposite direction.

As she continued down the street, Ginny passed a string of familiar shops. Fred and George hadn't opened their shop up again yet, but Ginny knew they would do so before all the Hogwarts students started coming to the Alley to get their school supplies. In a recent letter, the twins had said cryptically that they wanted to re-open with a bang, and Ginny was smart enough not to question them about it.

Ginny realized she was smiling to herself. She was really looking forward to seeing all of her brothers again. tonight. When they'd gotten back to England, Ginny and Draco had stayed at the Burrow for a few days while the papers were finalized on their new flat, but the boys hadn't been able to visit. Her mother had kept her largely up-to-date on their lives in her letters, but two years was a long time to go without seeing their faces.

Ginny bought some pie crust and shoved it into her bag before heading over to the fruit vendor. She scanned the selection and had just selected her first apple when she felt Draco's warm arms enclose her from behind. She turned and he gave her a swift peck on the forehead.

"That was fast!" she laughed, returning his kiss full on the lips.

"Well, you know me," Draco returned. "Nothing if not efficient."

"Indeed," Ginny snorted. "Here, I got a good apple, but mum wants mostly peaches."

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later, they had Apparated out of the Alley and were walking hand in hand up the lane to the Burrow.<p>

"Ten Galleons says Charlie's grown a beard," Ginny said. "And be careful, the pie crust's in there!" she warned, gesturing to the bag, which Draco was swinging nonchalantly in his other hand.

"No way," Draco said. "A dragon would've singed it off for sure. I think there are regulations about dragon tamers and facial hair."

"Fine. Ten Galleons says _Bill_ has grown a beard."

"What is your obsession with your brothers and beards, woman!" Draco teased.

"I dunno," Ginny shrugged. "I have a premonition that someone's grown a beard."

"Useful premonition, that," Draco said drily. "Have you considered teaching Divination? Your skills could really be put to good use."

"Oh, sod off," Ginny said. "And you'll see about the beards," she added, pointing a knowing finger at him.

They came up to the front door, and Ginny scuffed the bottoms of her trainers on the mat out of habit. Draco knocked.

The door opened almost immediately.

"Mum, we got four peaches…I hope that's enou-," Ginny looked up and her words caught in her throat. "R-r-on?" she stammered, trying to catch her breath.

The door opened wider and Ginny stumbled into the house and into her brother's bear-hug.

"Merlin, Ron!" she exclaimed, and she could feel pricks of tears at the corners of her eyes. "What…when…when did you get back?"

"Only about an hour ago," Ron said, beaming, and Ginny was sure his voice was deeper than it had been when he left. He backed away a little and held her by both shoulders to survey her.

"Oh, Ron, let me say hello!"

"Hermione!" Ginny said, and the tears were really coursing down her face now. She embraced the older girl, and when she stepped back she found herself looking desperately around the room for a third familiar face. Her parents were sitting together on the sofa, Mrs. Weasley openly crying and Mr. Weasley beaming widely beside her. But there was no one else.

"Where's…," Ginny began, and when Ron's grin faltered Ginny felt her legs weaken beneath her. "Oh, Merlin, Ron…is Harry…is he all right…?"

"No, Ginny, he's fine," Hermione said quickly, but her eyes slid involuntarily over to where Draco was still standing just inside the door.

"Ginny, can we talk to you?" Ron said, and now he wasn't smiling at all, "_Alone_," he added shortly.

A little discomfited by the abrupt change in mood, Ginny silently followed Ron from the room. "We're so pleased to see you, Gin," Hermione said, touching Ginny's arm and trying to smile convincingly as they marched out the back door.

"What is this about?" Ginny said when the door had closed behind them, leaving the three of them alone in the back garden.

"We're really, really pleased to see you, Ginny," Hermione repeated, standing beside Ron and putting a hand on his arm.

"Yes, yes," Ron said gruffly. All trace of his earlier grin was gone. "We're really happy to see you, we've really missed you, _all of that_, but what we want to know – what _I_ want to know – is what the bloody hell are you –"

"Ron…," Hermione said gently.

"No, Hermione, I can't believe what's happening here!" Ron said, and his voice was rising. "Harry is completely _crushed_…!"

"_Where is Harry_!" Ginny cut in frustratedly. "And what in Merlin's name are you going on about, Ron?"

Ron opened his mouth to reply. "Look, Ron," Hermione said quickly, "Just let me, all right?"

Ron sighed and folded his arms. "Okay," Hermione said. "Look, Ginny, Harry's perfectly safe. He went to Diagon Alley to see you as soon as we got back. He's really, really missed you, and your mum told him where you were, so he went." Here Hermione looked up at Ginny with an expression that looked almost like…disappointment? Ginny began to interrupt, but Hermione pressed on. "And while he was gone your mum and dad explained about you and Draco. Now Ron and I aren't going to pretend we understand what's going on, but the relevant issue right now is that Harry saw the two of you in Diagon Alley and he's…well he hasn't taken it well."

"What do you mean he hasn't taken it well?" Ginny said, rubbing the back of her neck anxiously.

"Well he's gone for a walk," Hermione said, "We're sure he'll be back in time for dinner, but…well…I think we just don't understand, Ginny." Ginny looked up to see Hermione searching her face, brow creased in concern. "We just don't understand what you're doing."

Ron, who had been standing, arms crossed, during Hermione's speech, cut in. His voice was low with controlled anger. "How could you do this to Harry?" he said harshly. "Getting to be with you again has been keeping him going for _years_, Ginny! But just a few months and you bin him for that snivelling ferret of all people!"

Ginny balked. Ron had always had a way of pushing her buttons when it came to judging her love life. "Ron Weasley, I don't care how long you've been gone – you have some nerve coming back to this house after four years and saying those things. You don't know _anything_ about my relationship with Draco…or my relationship with Harry, for that matter!"

"Her _relationship with Draco_," Ron said, turning to Hermione for support. "Now it's a relationship! For Merlin's sake…this is a bloody nightmare!"

"Yes, my _relationship_, you superior git!" Ginny yelled back.

"You were in a bloody relationship with Harry!" Ron countered. "And you expect me to buy this shite about you and Malfoy when you've practically been cheating on my best friends for…."

Ginny leapt forward with the full intention of slapping her brother in the face, but Hermione moved between them.

"Okay, stop it, you two, right now!" Hermione cried, and her tone was authoritative enough that they both stepped back. "Ron, you are being absolutely ridiculous. We both know Harry broke up with her before we left. But Ginny," she said, turning and putting a hand on Ginny's arm. "I guess we're just…confused. We thought, and Harry thought too, that you two would get back together when we got back. And I think it's just…well it's a big shock that you're with…Malfoy…."

"Well I didn't expect…," Ginny began, but just then the back door slammed open and Fred, George, Percy, Charlie, Bill barrelled out of the house.

"Ronniekins!" George exclaimed as the five of them enveloped Ron in a hug that sent them all tumbling onto the grass. Shock registered on Ron's face for a moment, but then it broke into a broad grin, and Ginny knew that she had been forgotten for the moment.

"And Ginny! You're home!" Ginny saw Ron and Hermione looking at her in confusion as the twins, Percy, Charlie, and Bill took turns embracing her. Her parents must not have told them that she'd been in Switzerland.

After several minutes, Mrs. Weasley appeared and herded them all back into the sitting room with the promise of an impending feast.

Draco raised his eyebrows at her questioningly as she came back inside, and she gave him a weary, "I'll tell you later" look. But her heart was still pounding in her chest from the confrontation with Ron and Hermione.

Right now, the couple was being buried with questions. All of her brothers seemed to accept with minimal confusion the curious explanation that Harry had gone for a walk "because he missed the Burrow." Ginny took the opportunity to turn to Fleur. "How are you and the baby doing?" she asked, hugging her sister-in-law gently.

"She iz kicking non-stop!" Fleur said, rubbing her very-pregnant stomach affectionately. "It's nice to see you, Ginny. Bill and I weren't expecting this much excitement and so many reunions tonight!" she added.

Ginny chuckled. "Neither was I," she said.

"Dinner's ready!" Mrs. Weasley called over the general hubbub. She turned to Ron and Hermione, "Do you know if Harry will be…."

And as if on cue, the front door opened. Ginny felt all of the breath leave her body as Harry walked in. He looked weary, and his face had become a little more angled than she remembered. But his hand was raking through his messy hair in the nervous gesture that was so familiar it made her heart ache a little.

She knew that Ron and Hermione's eyes were on her and she felt Draco stiffen a little at her side, but she couldn't help what she did next. They had a long history, and everything was so ridiculously complicated now, but for those short months, Harry Potter had been her best friend and the love of her life. She couldn't help it. She rushed forward and engulfed Harry in an elated hug.

He was warm and solid, and when his arms came around her and hugged her back – tightly – there was a brief moment when she forgot all of the complications and was just completely happy that he was home. "I missed you," she whispered.

"I missed you too," he whispered back.

But then his arms suddenly loosened and she felt his body tense up against her. Confused, she followed his gaze to where Draco was standing behind her. Harry let go abruptly, and Ginny stepped back, feeling her cheeks heat inexplicably.

"Harry!" Bill said, breaking the awkward silence. "It's great to see you, mate!" The eldest Weasley boy came up and clapped Harry on the shoulder. Harry, seeming to recover himself, grinned and began to move around the room, hugging all of the Weasley brothers.

Draco placed his hand comfortingly – or was it possessively? – on the small of her back as she came back to stand beside him. He didn't say anything.

"Dinner!" Mrs. Weasley announced again, and they all began to move into the kitchen.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: AAAAAH I HAD SO MUCH FUN WRITING THIS CHAPTER! I hope it was equally fun to read! Don't worry – the next chapter will be more of the dinner – and Harry and Ginny may or may not have a conversation (you'll just have to wait and see!). Please review – I'd really appreciate it!<p> 


	12. Not How I Thought It Would Be

**Chapter 11: Not How I Thought It Would Be**

* * *

><p>Ginny took a gulp of wine (a celebratory treat from Bill and Fleur) and tried to keep her mind on the conversation at hand. For the past half hour, her parents and brothers had been grilling the trio on their journey and everything that had happened.<p>

"We've been in Romania for the past nine weeks," Ron was saying, enthusiastically shoveling down spoonfuls of beef stew. "In pretty uninhabited areas. We were looking for the final Horcrux…we'd heard that Rowena Ravenclaw had hidden her diadem somewhere there. But Voldemort must've got wind of where we were, because he followed us. And turned out he had the diadem with him, so we were able to destroy that and then…well…." He turned to Harry, obviously expecting his friend to take up the story, but Harry just motioned for him to continue.

"Well," said Ron, the wind leaving his sails somewhat, "That's where it all finally…happened."

"And we Apparated here as soon as we could," Hermione added.

"That's why things started to improve here months ago," Charlie said. "You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters were all following you to Romania?"

Ron shrugged. "Must be."

"It certainly felt like all of his Death Eaters were there with him, didn't it, Harry? When they all came out of the forest like that?" Hermione added.

"Yeah, it was intimidating, for sure," Harry acknowledged.

Ginny watched Ron and Hermione try, yet again, to draw Harry into the conversation. So far, they weren't having much success. Harry wasn't being rude, of course, but he was definitely quieter than she would have expected, considering the circumstances. He was following the conversation, turning politely to each person who spoke, but he rarely contributed more than a few words in answer to a direct question. Every once in a while, Ginny would glance over to catch him looking at her. He always looked away immediately.

"What about those rumors that you were in Italy? Were you really out of the country as much as we heard?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"No, we were never in Italy," Hermione said. "But we did travel a lot. We were in the south of France for a while, and Ireland for a good amount of time…where else, Ron?"

Ron swallowed a scoop of mashed potatoes. "Erm…we spent that week in Edinburgh…what a disaster…."

"Geneva," Harry volunteered. "We were in Geneva for two months last April."

Ginny nearly choked on her stew. She looked up to see everyone staring at her. Percy cleared his throat. "Ginny and Draco were living in Geneva for about two years," he said, by way of explanation.

Ron's eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Hermione quickly cut him off. "Oh, really? When were you…two…there?"

Ginny shot Ron a warning glare. She still couldn't believe the things he'd said to her in the backyard earlier, and she just dared him to repeat them in front of the whole family. "We just got back, actually. Tonight was our big welcome home dinner."

"Oh," Hermione said, surprised.

"So it was perfect-timing that you three came home today, actually," Mrs. Weasley added.

"And what exactly were you doing in Geneva?" Ron said. He almost managed to keep the question from sounding accusatory. Almost.

"I was teaching Charms," Ginny said, "at the international magic school there."

"Can you imagine?" Fred said, "Dozens of Swiss schoolchildren armed with Ginny's particularly potent version of the Bat Bogey Hex. What a nightmare!"

The whole family laughed, including Ron, and Ginny even noticed a small smile on Harry's lips.

"And Draco," Bill said, obviously trying to ride the wave of good-humor through the palpable tension, "was working at Rainiers."

"The bank?" Ron said, seeming genuinely surprised.

"Yeah," Draco said, speaking for the first time, "I was doing portfolios management for them."

"Well that's exciting…," Hermione said slowly.

"He's got an interview at Gringotts tomorrow, actually. Hoping to continue in banking," Bill continued.

"Well that's a surprise," Ron said, giving a derisive snort.

Ginny felt Draco stiffen beside her. She placed a calming hand on his thigh. "What's that supposed to mean?" he said tensely.

"Oh," Hermione said quickly, "Ron didn't mean…well, it's only…you didn't seem to have those ambitions at school…."

"We all just assumed you'd live off Daddy's money your whole life," Harry interjected, meeting Draco's gaze full-on. Ginny felt the dislike running between them like a charge. "You never seemed very interested in doing anything useful."

Ginny wished she could just disappear. She squeezed Draco's thigh in the hopes of keeping him from rising to Harry's bait, but she knew him too well to expect him to take that lying down.

"Well when Ginny decided to take that job in Geneva," Draco responded coolly, "I knew I had to find something to do there. I wasn't about to just…_abandon her_. It probably wouldn't have taken long for some other bloke to win her over."

Ginny froze in horror, and she felt everyone else at the table do the same. She glared sharply at Draco, but he was still staring straight at Harry, the slightest hint of a smirk playing around his lips. What he'd said had been a flat out lie – _she'd _followed _him_ to Geneva, not the other way around. His comment had been a calculated barb.

Harry was regarding Draco with barely concealed hatred now, but instead of responding he just pushed his chair back from the table. It made a harsh scraping sound against the floor.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley," he said softly, "This was a really great meal, thank you. But I just need to get some air." And with that, he turned on his heel and left the room. There was a sharp clap as the back door closed behind him.

Ginny turned to Draco. "What the hell was that?" she hissed.

Draco looked back at her confusedly, and the fact that he didn't understand why she was angry only infuriated her further. "That was cruel and uncalled for," she added in an undertone, sliding her own chair back and standing.

"Thanks for dinner, Mum," she added briefly. And she followed Harry out the door.

* * *

><p>"Harry, wait!" She spotted him walking toward the wooded area behind the house and jogged to catch up to him.<p>

"Harry, wait!" she called again as she came up beside him. They had passed the edge of the woods and were now out of sight of the house.

"I'm sorry about Draco," Ginny said, putting a hand on his arm to try to get him to face her.

"Don't," Harry said, shaking her away. His voice was harsh. Ginny sighed; this wasn't going to be easy. She let her arm fall and just walked beside him.

"Look, I'm sorry about what he said," she began again. "He just wasn't expecting to see all of you tonight, and he was nervous and on edge…." She knew this wasn't the whole truth. Whatever part of Draco had made him tell a lie in order to throw that last barb had been motivated by his long-standing dislike of Harry and maybe…jealousy? But she had to defend him.

Harry exhaled wearily, and Ginny could tell by the way he ran an agitated hand through his hair that he was trying to decide whether or not to say something. "He wasn't _nervous and on edge_, Gin," he said, "Don't you see? He's _Malfoy_, for Merlin's sake…."

"Can't you understand why he would be nervous to see you three?" Ginny interrupted. "You never really got along in school and…."

"And why do you think that is, Ginny?" Harry said, voice rising, "It's because he's a complete shite! He never misses an opportunity to put people down and take what isn't his. And he bloody enjoys it! He rubs it in their faces and then sits there smirking like a complete…."

"You don't know him at all," Ginny cut in defensively.

"Don't I?" Harry continued, green eyes boring into her. "Isn't that what happened here?"

"First off," Ginny said, stepping back, "he didn't 'take what wasn't his.' I'm not your property, Harry Potter, and I never was. You're the one who broke it off, or have you conveniently forgotten that?"

"But everyone knew that when we got back…that you and I…."

"Well, that's just the thing, isn't it?" Ginny said, "_You_ may have known, Hermione and Ron may have known, but _I_ didn't know. We didn't hear from you for _four years_, Harry. I didn't know if you were alive or dead! Did you expect me to just sit around and wait for you…?"

"No!" Harry said vehemently, "I didn't think…I mean, I hoped…but I didn't expect…."

"Then what?" Ginny challenged.

"Did it have to be Malfoy!" Harry exploded. The words hung in the air, and after a moment Harry broke their gaze and sat down on a log beside them. When he continued his voice was soft. "Look, Gin," he said, "I hoped that when I came back that we could maybe figure out how to be together again, I won't deny it. But I'm realistic. I knew there was a possibility that you had moved on. And I could have been okay – happy for you, even – if it had been Dean or Neville or someone…someone who was good for you. But Malfoy? How am I supposed to be happy for you when I know you're making a huge mistake?"

Ginny sighed and sat down beside him. She put her hand over his, and he didn't push her away this time. "Draco _is_ good for me, Harry. We've been through a lot together in the past four years. And people can change. You must believe that."

Harry snorted. "I don't know if I do, actually," he said. "Most of the people I've met in my life have been pretty much good or evil."

Ginny didn't say anything. She knew that that was true. And she didn't blame Harry, really, considering their history, for being hostile toward Draco.

Harry exhaled. "So what are we going to do?" he said finally.

"I don't know," Ginny said. "This isn't exactly how I thought all this would be."

Harry laughed mirthlessly. "Yeah, me neither."

"Do you think we can be friends?" Ginny asked tentatively.

Harry rubbed a hand over his eyes. He hesitated, and Ginny realized that she was holding her breath. "I don't know, Gin," he said. "I _want to_, I really do. I missed you…."

Ginny heard his breath hitch, and she moved closer. "I missed you too," she said honestly, resting her head against his shoulder. He sighed, and his arms came around her. They sat like that in silence, the night sounds beginning to fill the air around them.

"We can try," Harry said finally. "Let's just try."

"But you have to promise to try with Draco, too," Ginny insisted. "He's different now, you'll see."

Harry snorted. "No promises."

"Okay," Ginny said.

"And I can't promise that Ron'll ever try with Malfoy," Harry added.

"You let me handle Ron," Ginny said confidently.

* * *

><p>By the time they walked back to the Burrow, Ginny's brothers had all headed home, promising to come back for dinner next week. Mrs. Weasley was filling Ron and Hermione's arms with towels and extra blankets.<p>

She surveyed Harry and Ginny as they came in, obviously trying to determine what had happened between them. "Harry," she said as they came in, "You can take the twins' old room. Here are blankets and towels."

"Where's Draco?" Ginny asked, looking around.

"He went home, dear," Mrs. Weasley said. "He wasn't sure how long you and Harry would be out."

Ginny sighed. "All right, I guess I better head back then. Thanks again for dinner, Mum."

"Where are you going?" Ron asked as Ginny made for the door. He seemed genuinely curious.

"Back to my flat," Ginny said. "Draco and I got one when we came back to England. We've just moved in, actually."

Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny saw Harry tense up at the knowledge that she and Draco were living together. Well, he was going to find out sooner or later, she reasoned.

Ron didn't look particularly happy about the knowledge, but he just nodded curtly. Ginny wondered if Hermione had given him a lecture. The thought made her smile a little. Some things never changed.

* * *

><p>When Ginny Apparated in front of the apartment, she paused before putting the key in the lock. Her anger at Draco over the comment he'd made hadn't totally fizzled out. She sighed. It had been a long night.<p>

"Draco?" she said, coming in and tossing her keys and bag on the counter. The lights were off in the flat; he'd already gone to bed. As quietly as she could, she showered and put on her pajamas. But as she crawled into bed beside him, he spoke.

"That was quite a walk," he said, staring at the ceiling. Not asleep after all.

"He was angry," Ginny said. "Understandably so, after that little stunt you pulled."

"What are you talking about?" Draco challenged.

"You know what," Ginny said. "You didn't have to say that."

"I know," Draco sighed. "But I couldn't help myself. He was being a prat."

"You lied in order to hurt him!" Ginny insisted.

"Well it's true, isn't it?" Draco said, sounding more defensive now. "He _did _abandon you. It's not like that's big news to anyone."

Ginny sighed. "You shouldn't have said it, Draco."

"Potter's a big boy," he replied. "He can handle it."

Ginny bit back a retort. She was worn out and tired of fighting. For the first time since they'd started sharing a bed, she turned away from him and shut her eyes to sleep. They slept on opposite sides of the bed that night.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: I had a ton of fun writing this chapter, and can't wait to read your thoughts. I want to know what you think about everyone's reactions – Ron's, Harry's, Draco's...so please review!<p> 


	13. Gits Getting Along

Author's Note: I hope you guys like this chapter…it's extra-long, just for you!

**Chapter 12: Gits Getting Along**

* * *

><p>"Ginny-girl, that's wonderful!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed, ruffling Ginny's hair affectionately as his wife enveloped her in a hug.<p>

"My Ginny, a Hogwarts professor!" Mrs. Weasley said, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

"Oh, Mum," Ginny sighed, "Don't cry! You've been crying so much lately!"

Mrs. Weasley chuckled and swatted her daughter teasingly on the arm. "Tears of joy are different from regular tears, dear!"

"Here, you sit down and I'll get you more tea. Tell us all about the arrangements," Mr. Weasley said. Ginny sank into a chair and rested her elbow on the kitchen table.

"Well," she began when her father had set a steaming mug of breakfast tea down in front of her. "I interviewed three weeks ago."

"Three weeks!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. "Why in Merlin's name haven't you said something before now?"

"Oh," Ginny shrugged, "I was planning on mentioning it at the welcome-home dinner, but…well, a lot of things happened that night."

Her parents nodded understanding. "Well, there's never a bad time to tell good news," Mr. Weasley said.

"And was the interview very difficult?"

"It was all right," Ginny said, swallowing a gulp of tea. "I kind of got the feeling that McGonagall really _wanted_ to give me the post but just needed to make sure I was qualified."

"Minerva always liked you," Mrs. Weasley mused. "Said you had spunk."

Ginny laughed. "Professor McGonagall said that?" She still couldn't get used to the idea of calling the stern woman anything but Professor. Her mother nodded.

"The pay's quite good," Ginny continued, sipping more tea. "And it includes a room and most meals as well."

"You'll be living at Hogwarts, then?"

"Yeah, except for most weekends. I have to be available for nighttime emergencies and patrols, and once a month or so I'll have to be on-call during the weekend."

"And Draco's all right with that?" Mrs. Weasley asked hesitantly.

Ginny nodded. She didn't mention that Draco would be able to stay over at the school one night a week. She had a feeling that wasn't something her parents wanted to have to think about.

"How are Ron, Harry, and Hermione doing?" Ginny asked after a pause. "Are they settling in all right? I haven't spoken to any of them much since they got back." She had seen the trio twice since the welcome-home dinner, both times at family meals. But she hadn't really spoken to any of them. She and Ron were still acting coolly toward each other, and Hermione was always at his side. And Harry. Despite his insistence that they could try to be friends, he seemed to be avoiding her. She sighed.

"Yes, I think so," Mrs. Weasley said, looking at Ginny searchingly. "They've just been resting mostly."

"I'm sorry Draco hasn't been coming to the dinners, by the way," Ginny added. "I think he just feels a bit strange. He'll get over it though," she finished confidently.

"Well don't push him too hard, Ginny," Mr. Weasley replied. "He just needs time to figure things out on his own."

Ginny nodded. Her dad was probably right. At least, she hoped he was right. She and Draco had been acting totally normally around each other since their less-than-loving night following the welcome-home dinner. In fact, Draco even seemed slightly more attentive and affectionate than usual. Things were normal between them, with one notable exception. They carefully avoided discussing Ron, Hermione, and _especially_ Harry.

Ginny frowned. For the past three weeks she'd been walking on pins with everyone – Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco – and she was determined that it wasn't going to go on any longer. Her resolve strengthened, she took a last gulp of tea and magicked it clean with a quick flick of her wand.

"Is Ron upstairs?" she asked.

Mr. Weasley nodded. "In his room."

"Thanks for the tea," Ginny said, giving her parents quick pecks on the cheek.

She took the stairs two at a time, but paused when she reached Ron's upper-level room. The room was filled with memories of her and Draco; it was strange that it was Ron's again. She heard voices inside, and with a quick knock, opened the door.

"Ginny!" Hermione shrieked. Ginny caught a glimpse of a very shirtless Hermione sitting astride her brother and almost retched right there and then.

"Bloody hell!" she exclaimed, throwing an arm over her eyes and turning around as quickly as she could. "You could at least put a bloody locking charm on the door!"

"You could bloody well knock!" Ron countered over the sounds of frantic dressing.

"I did knock!" Ginny insisted. "Actually, we can talk later, I'll just go," she added, trying to locate the doorknob without taking her hands off her eyes.

"Well you've already ruined it," Ron muttered. "Might as well say what you have to say."

"You can turn around now, by the way," Hermione added.

"Are you sure about that?" Ginny said, peering hesitantly out from behind her hand-shield. "That first glimpse nearly blinded me…I don't think my eyes can take another dose of horror."

"We are so, so sorry, Ginny," Hermione said, and Ginny saw that her face was bright red. "I really should have put a charm on the door, but I was _stupid_ and just forgot."

Ginny couldn't help chuckling a little at the older girl's absolutely mortified expression. "Psh," she said, waving it off, "I grew up with six brothers, remember? Trust me, I've seen worse. Never out of this one," she gestured to Ron, "which is _particularly _horrifying, I'll admit, but still. Nothing I can't handle."

"However, I _would_ like to know what exactly is going on here," she added. "Are you two together now? I won't say I'm surprised, Harry and I were taking bets on it in my fifth year."

"Well, yes, we _are_ dating, as you can see," Hermione said sheepishly.

Ginny snorted. "Oh, I saw alright," she quipped.

Ron, who had been silent up to this point, snorted. Hermione giggled a little nervously. And suddenly all three of them were laughing uncontrollably, and Ron was actually wiping a tear from his eye. Ginny collapsed into the desk chair.

"I think, Ron," she managed to gasp between bouts of laughter, "that there ought to be some sort of penalty for corrupting your little sister in this manner."

"Oh, you were corrupted long ago," Ron replied. "By bloody Dean if I remember correctly. You know, I don't think we Weasley brothers intimidated him as much as he deserved." He sighed reflectively.

"Trust me, Dean Thomas and I never got anywhere near what you were just doing with little miss prim over there," Ginny said.

"Hey!" Hermione cried, throwing a pillow in Ginny's direction.

"But, like I said," Ginny said quickly, "Hardly the worst I've seen."

"Oh, do you remember when we walked in on Bill – ?" Ron said, a wide grin on his face.

"With Olivia – ?" Ginny added.

"In Charlie's bed!" Ron finished, bursting into a second round of uncontrollable laughter. Ginny covered her face and gasped for breath as she convulsed with silent laughter.

"Wait, wait, wait," Hermione said, eyes wide, "Bill had sex with someone _in Charlie's bed_!"

Ginny nodded, still trying to control herself. "And then Charlie cursed him so he couldn't ride a broom for two weeks!"

"I think you can imagine where that curse was aimed," Ginny managed to say.

"Oh my," Hermione said.

Recovering herself, Ginny saw that for the first time since their fight, Ron was smiling at her with genuine warmth. Another bubble of laughter welled up inside her as she realized that against all odds, walking in on one of her brothers having sex was actually having positive results. The tension between them was gone.

Ginny decided to go for broke. "I think we might need to have 'the talk,'" she said, and Ron snorted. "Maybe over dinner tomorrow? I was thinking you guys could meet Draco and me at the Leaky at six?"

Hermione's smile faltered just a little, and she glanced nervously at Ron. But Ron just regarded Ginny seriously for a moment, head cocked to one side. "You're trying awfully hard to get me to approve of this whole thing with Malfoy," he said. "If I recall correctly, when you started dating Dean you told me to go shove my approval where the sun don't shine." Ginny grinned at the memory. "Whatever happened to that?"

She shrugged. "He's important to me," she replied. "And you're my brother. I want you to at least _attempt_ to get along."

"You're in love with him, are you?" Ron said, "How long have you been…together…anyway? Isn't it a bit early for him to be 'important to you?'"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Three years, Ron."

Ron sighed heavily. "Well. I'm going to think he's an absolute git until the day I die, but if this is as serious as you say, then I guess I'll have to learn to tolerate him."

Ginny nodded. "That's all I'm asking. Hermione?"

"I'll come," the older girl said. "Should we ask Harry to come along, or…?"

Ginny hesitated. "I thought that might be good," she said slowly. "What do you think?"

Ron and Hermione exchanged significant looks. "I'll ask him," Hermione said. "He's been keeping things kind of close to chest lately," she added. "But you know him…."

"He broods," Ron finished. "It'll be good to get him out into Diagon Alley."

"Where is he now, by the way?" Ginny asked.

"Went for a fly," Ron explained.

The were quiet for a moment. Then Hermione, looking thoughtful, broke the silence. "When you said earlier that we needed to have 'the talk'…what did you mean?"

Ginny looked at her friend, shocked. "Oh, you know," Ron said, "'the talk'…like about sex? That parents give their children?"

"Oh! That!" Hermione said, "I've never heard it called that."

"What in Merlin's name did you call it?" Ron said, incredulous.

"Oh, I don't know," Hermione replied. "My parents never _called_ it anything. It just was." She reflected for a moment. "I wonder what Harry did about that."

"What d'ya mean?" Ron asked curiously.

"Well, you know," Hermione said, "parents are usually the ones who give…'the talk'…and I doubt his aunt and uncle were forthcoming about the topic. I just wonder if…you know…he knows what's what."

Both Ron and Hermione turned simultaneously to look at Ginny.

"Hey! Don't look at me!" she said. She stood and went to the door. "I don't know anything about it," she added, giving them a sly grin as she left the room.

* * *

><p>Ginny dropped the bomb as soon Draco came home from work that evening.<p>

"Hey," she said, looking up from her paperwork as he walked through the door and set his briefcase on the kitchen table. "How was your day?"

"All right," Draco replied, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead. "I filed six different reports incorrectly, and Rickins was really on my case about it, but not nearly as bad as it was when I got to Rainiers." He sighed and flopped down beside her on the sofa. "How was your day? Just working on lesson plans?"

"Not yet," Ginny replied, gesturing to her papers. "Just looking over the enrollment lists, trying to figure out what in the world I got myself into." She laughed. "Anyway, I went back home today and told Mum and Dad the good news. They were thrilled, of course. I saw Ron and Hermione as well – walked in on them shagging, actually."

Draco's eyes widened and he put his hands to his ears. "Wait, wait, wait," he spluttered, "No details. Granger and your git of a brother in any kind of compromising situation is _not_ an image I want to have in my head. Bloody hell!"

Ginny laughed and stretched her legs comfortably across his. "Well," she added, as nonchalantly as she could, "You're going to have to stop referring to him exclusively as 'my git of a brother' because we're having dinner with them and Harry tomorrow."

Draco sobered immediately and narrowed his eyes at her. She smiled innocently. "Absolutely not," he said. "I am not subjecting myself to an unbearably awkward hour of lunch with those three do-gooders."

Ginny pouted and scooted closer to him, draping her arm around his shoulder. "Awww, come on…it's only one hour, and it's important to me."

Draco rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "You can spend as much time with them as you want – I'm letting you do that, aren't I? And that's more than most Slytherins would do, let me tell you."

Ginny scowled at him. "Well I'm not a Slytherin, so you're going to have to do better than that, mister."

"All right, all right, don't get worked up," Draco said, "I don't want to fight about this. But I'm not going. I'm sorry. I don't enjoy their company, and they don't enjoy mine. It's a waste of time, Ginny."

"Look, Draco," Ginny began. "You're part of my life, and so are they. We've been avoiding talking about them for weeks now, and it's getting ridiculous. Ron's my brother, and if Ron can ever get his bloody act together Hermione's going to be my sister soon. They're family, Draco. Can't you at least _try_?"

"Your brother and Granger I can sort of understand," Draco replied. "They're family, and even though I don't necessarily understand it, I respect your desire to be extremely close to your family. But Potter? Why in Merlin's name do I need to try to get along with him?"

"Because he's my friend! And whether you like it or not, he _did_ just save the entire Wizarding world. Can't you respect him for that? I know you don't like him, but…."

"Look, Ginny," Draco said, his voice rising with exasperation, "not liking him is not the issue! Merlin knows I think he's a right git – prancing around like he's better than everybody else – but I could at least tolerate him if it wasn't…if I wasn't afraid…." He stopped short, pursing his lips as though physically keeping the words in.

Ginny looked at him curiously, hoping he would continue, but when he didn't she sat up straight and swung her leg around to straddle his thighs. "Hey, hey, hey," she said soothingly, taking his face between her hands, "Talk to me. If it wasn't for what?"

"It's nothing," Draco said, looking determinedly at a point above her right shoulder.

"We can talk about this, Draco," Ginny insisted. "You just have to articulate what the problem is. What are you afraid of?"

"It's nothing," he repeated.

Ginny sighed wearily. "Then will you please come to the dinner? I give you leave to hate every second of it. Just please come…for me?"

Draco met her gaze. "Well what else am I supposed to do when you make that impossibly sad face?" He rolled his eyes, and Ginny grinned.

"Thank you," she said, tilting her neck to kiss him deeply. He returned the kiss, but just as she was about to move things farther along, he pulled away.

"Well, we should start making dinner, don't you think?" he said lightly, nudging her off his lap and standing.

"Mmm, good idea," Ginny agreed. But she knew that they were leaving issues unresolved, and she wondered how long it would take for them to come bubbling to the surface.

* * *

><p>The next day found Ginny waiting a little apprehensively at a back table in the Leaky Cauldron. She'd found a relatively secluded spot and had ordered five pints.<p>

"Ginny!"

Ginny turned to see a waving Hermione, holding hands with Ron and weaving between the tables.

"Are these for us?" Ron said, sliding into the booth and immediately taking a gulp of ale.

"Yeah," Ginny affirmed, returning Hermione's greeting hug. "Where's Harry?"

"Oh," Hermione said, rolling her eyes and waving a hand as if it was a very long story. "He said he can't make it. Apparently he's got an interview or something."

"An interview?" Ginny replied, taking a sip of her own ale. "For what?"

"Won't tell us," Ron explained. "I think he's worried that giving me details will just start me lecturing him again about not taking Shacklebolt's offer with me."

"Oh, Ron," Hermione said, "You shouldn't be so hard on him."

"Wait, wait," Ginny interrupted, "You got an offer from Shacklebolt? To what, join the Ministry?"

"The Aurors," Ron said shortly.

"Wow, Ron! That's amazing!"

"Apparently I'm the only one who thinks so," Ron grumbled. "This one's not taking it either," he said, jerking a thumb at Hermione, who rolled her eyes.

"Well I considered going back to Hogwarts for a while. You know, to finish my N.E.W.T.S.," she said, turning to Ginny. Ron shot her a significant look at the last bit, and Ginny grinned. "But I decided that I'm taking a job at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. You know I've always been really passionate about house elves, specifically, with S.P.E.W. and all…I just can't turn it down."

"Well that's really great, Hermione," Ginny said, touching her friend's arm. "I'm really pleased for you."

"Thank you," Hermione beamed. "But I was telling Ron that he really shouldn't be so hard on Harry. I think he's just really exhausted. He'll join the Aurors after he has a little bit of a rest, I'm sure of it. He's not going to be able to live with all those dark wizards still being out there." She punctuated her statement with a determined nod.

Ron sighed theatrically. "I know. I just don't fancy going through training without him, that's all. Where's Malfoy, by the way? Decided not to come, has he?"

"Well don't get too excited," Ginny said dryly. "He's heading here from Gringotts when he gets off work."

Just then, Ginny spotted Draco coming into the pub. He was dressed in an impeccably fitted suit, and Ginny watched amusedly as two witches at the bar gave him the once over and retreated, giggling, behind their hands.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Draco said, giving Ginny a peck on the cheek and sliding into the booth beside her. "Meeting went a little long. Where's Potter?"

"Had an interview," Ginny said. Draco didn't ask anymore questions, just nodded. "So," Ginny added, turning back to face Ron and Hermione across the table. "What does everyone want to eat?"

"Do they still have that…oh, you know, that meat pie thing here?" Ron said.

"No, they got rid of it," Draco replied easily, scanning the menu.

"What!" Ron said incredulously, "That was the best thing here!"

"Couldn't agree more," Draco answered, looking up with a resigned smile. "I used to beg my mother to let me get it everytime we came to Diagon. But when I came here last week for lunch, they told me they took it off the menu."

"It's a bloody shame," he and Ron said simultaneously. Draco smirked, and Ginny watched in awe as Ron grinned back widely.

"I would recommend the fish and chips, though. It's hardly a substitute, but it's not half bad," Draco said.

"All right," Ron said, standing to order at the bar.

"I think we need another round," Draco said. "I'll come help you. What would you like to eat, Hermione?"

Hermione looked rather taken aback at Draco's politeness. "Umm…," she said, running her finger down the menu. "I'll just have the salad? With dressing on the side?"

Draco nodded and turned to Ginny. "Gin? Turkey club?"

"As always," Ginny confirmed, grinning and raising her eyebrows at him. She could tell he was trying hard to get along with Ron and Hermione, and it made her chest swell with appreciation. Draco shrugged and gave her a quick wink as he followed Ron to the bar.

* * *

><p>As soon as they walked into their apartment and shut the door behind them, Ginny pounced on Draco, tackling him to the floor.<p>

"You," she said, planting kisses on his lips to punctuate her words, "Are. The. Most. Amazing. Wizard. And. Boyfriend. Ever."

"Mmm," Draco said, kissing her back vigorously. "If I'd known I was going to be rewarded, I wouldn't have been so reluctant to go."

Ginny laughed, moving her kisses to his neck. "I know you didn't want to go, but it means a lot to me that you made an effort. And I think it went really well, too!"

"Hey, haven't I told you never to doubt my charms?" Draco teased, rolling over to pin her beneath him.

"Yes, you have," Ginny said. She looked him straight in the eye and smiled. "Thank you," she said seriously.

Draco smirked in that irresistible way of his. "You're welcome."

* * *

><p>The next few days went by too quickly, and before she knew it, Ginny's suitcases were packed and she was heading off to Hogwarts.<p>

"You go settle in," Draco said, kissing her deeply, "and then tomorrow we can have dinner and I'll sleep over, how's that?"

"Okay," Ginny said, "Sounds good. I'll see you then. Don't let this apartment become a pigsty while I'm gone," she added.

Draco snorted. "It'll be a lot cleaner now you're moving out, trust me."

"Hmph," Ginny said, making a face. "Well, I'd better go. I've got three jumps to make, and I have to be there by nine."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. Good luck!"

Ginny left the apartment feeling half-wistful, half-giddy. She'd always known that the job at the International Academy was a temporary thing, but this professorship at Hogwarts? This could become her permanent career. Exhaling, Ginny held on to her suitcase and made the first Apparition.

"Mindy here will show you to your rooms. Take the next half hour to settle in. Our first staff meeting is at nine forty-five."

"Thank you, Minerva," Ginny said, standing and shaking McGonagall's hand.

"This way, Miss Weasley," said a plump young house elf at Ginny's knee. Ginny followed Mindy down the stairs, charming her suitcase to levitate a foot behind her.

They walked down two flights of stairs and through several hallways, and Ginny was hit with a wave of nostalgia. She hadn't walked through this castle in over four years. Finally they arrived before an oak door with a disproportionately large doorknob right in its center.

"After you, Miss," Mindy squeaked. Ginny opened the door into a spacious room; the walls were panelled with dark wood, and the floor was a soft burgundy carpet. A small sofa and two armchairs stood around a coffee table in one corner, and there were several bookshelves and a dresser against one wall. At the back of the room was a large, luxurious-looking canopy bed. Ginny grinned.

"The door to the left leads to the loo, Miss," Mindy explained. "And that pulley there," she said, indicating a cord hanging near the sofa, "rings a bell down in the kitchens. If you need any assistance with cleaning or would like to eat in your rooms instead of in the Great Hall, any of us elves would be happy to help. You may ring at any time."

"Thank you, Mindy," Ginny said.

"If there's nothing else, I shall let the young miss get comfortable. Goodbye." And with that, Mindy left the room.

Ginny spent the next half hour inspecting her new room and unpacking her suitcase. She made a mental note to go into Hogsmeade and buy a teapot and cups. She didn't want to bother the house elves every time she wanted a late-night mug of tea.

When the clock on the wall said nine thirty, Ginny headed down to the Great Hall, setting up quick locking wards on her way out.

The hall was already milling with witches and wizards, some of whom Ginny recognized from her own time as a student here. She spent a good amount of time chatting happily with Madam Hooch, and she saw Trelawney talking animatedly to an uncomfortable-looking Madam Pomfrey across the room.

At nine forty-five, Professor McGonagall clapped her hands for attention. "Hello, hello," she began. "And welcome to our new term here at Hogwarts. As you all know, this is a very important year for us. It is our first term since the defeat of the Dark Lord, and as such, it is our duty to usher in a new era of safety and learning. I trust that all of you will take this duty very seriously. Unfortunately, many of the students who will be coming into our care this year have experienced a great deal of suffering during the past four years. Many of them have experienced terrible loss and overwhelming fear, and some have even been physically abused by Death Eaters within these very walls. It will be our job to care for these students, and so we will spend much of the morning outlining the practices that I hope and expect you will implement to help these students deal with what they have been through."

She paused to let the import of this speech sink in.

"But first," she continued, smiling for the first time since she had begun speaking, "There are a few new faces joining our staff this term. And I expect that they will need all the help they can get," she added wryly. There was a ripple of laughter around the room, and Madam Hooch patted Ginny good-naturedly on the shoulder.

"First, Mr. Tiberius Green will be taking over my previous position of Transfiguration professor." Ginny turned to clap politely for a squat, bearded man dressed in green robes to match his name.

"Secondly, we have Miss Ginevra Weasley joining us in the post of Charms professor." Ginny grinned widely and gave a little wave as the other professors clapped for her.

"And lastly, as more recent addition to our staff," McGonagall continued, but suddenly, Ginny wasn't listening. Trelawney had shifted a little, and Ginny had caught sight of the man standing behind her beside a towering Hagrid. He was staring straight at her, his bright green eyes wide with surprise.

Through the haze, Ginny heard McGonagall confirm what she was too shocked to process.

"The position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor will be filled by Mr. Harry Potter."

* * *

><p>Author's Note: CLIFFIE! Were any of you expecting that as you read the chapter? Thank you guys so much for the amazing reviews of the last two chapters – we have some very passionate shippers out there :) Keep 'em coming! Also, I go back to school in two days, so the next chapter might take a little longer to post…more reviews would be a great motivator though, nudge nudge :)<p> 


	14. Just Friends

**Chapter 13: Just Friends**

* * *

><p><em>"And lastly, as more recent addition to our staff," McGonagall continued, but suddenly, Ginny wasn't listening. Trelawney had shifted a little, and Ginny had caught sight of the man standing behind her beside a towering Hagrid. He was staring straight at her, his bright green eyes wide with surprise.<em>

_Through the haze, Ginny heard McGonagall confirm what she was too shocked to process._

_"The position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor will be filled by Mr. Harry Potter."_

* * *

><p>Ginny stood in shock, her eyes locked with Harry's, as the professors around them clapped enthusiastically for him.<p>

"I hope that you will make our three new professors feel very welcome here and will help them in whatever way you can," Professor McGonagall said, smiling broadly.

"Now," she continued, "If you will all have a seat, we can begin serious discussion of the upcoming year." With a flick of her wand, she Summoned a few dozen chairs to the front of the Hall. Still recovering, Ginny sank into the nearest seat. She watched Harry find a chair and turn distractedly to answer a question from Hagrid.

"Are you all right, Weasley?" Madam Hooch said from beside her, placing a solid hand on Ginny's arm.

"Oh," Ginny said, clearing her throat and tearing her eyes away from Harry, "Yes, I'm fine, thank you."

For the next two hours, Ginny forced herself to focus as Professor McGonagall led a discussion of the various traumatic experiences the incoming students had been exposed to under Voldemort's reign and how the professors could best address these issues. She even contributed a few comments when McGonagall brought up students whose parents had kept them at home for the duration of the four years. But a little part of her mind refused to ignore the fact that Harry was sitting just a few feet to her left, and that every few minutes he was glancing surreptitiously at her.

She remembered that Harry had been at an interview during the lunch with Draco, Ron, and Hermione, and she realized that he must have been meeting with McGonagall to discuss the position. She hadn't known he was interested in teaching, but then again, she reflected, he had been so good at teaching defense in DA…it made sense, really. Well, she thought wryly, this would put an end to Harry's avoiding her. But Merlin, Draco wasn't going to like this. She sighed and rolled her eyes, forcing her attention back to McGonagall.

When the bell tower struck noon, the ever-punctual headmistress cleared her throat and rose from her seat. "This marks the end of today's whole-staff discussion. We will adjourn for lunch, and I hope you will spend the rest of the afternoon settling in to your accomodations and starting your lesson plans. We will meet again here tomorrow at ten o'clock. Good day." And with that she swept from the room.

All of the professors rose and began to chat and disperse. Ginny stood and determinedly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Then, adjusting her robes, she marched over to where Harry had just finished saying goodbye to Hagrid.

"Hello, stranger," she said, trying for a confident smile.

Harry grinned back rather uncertainly. "Hi, Gin," he said. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I guess I never mentioned it to you," Ginny replied. "I didn't know you had a job here either."

Harry nodded. They lapsed into silence, and Ginny shifted uncomfortably. The last time they'd spoken had been that emotional night in the forest, and somehow, talking again in the harsh light of day felt…awkward.

Just when Ginny decided to just tell him goodbye and retreat to her room, Harry ran a restless hand through his hair and spoke. "Gin," he began, "Do you wanna…would you like to maybe grab lunch? At the Three Broomsticks or something?"

Ginny smiled encouragingly. "Sure," she replied. "I'd like that."

* * *

><p>They made small talk about the weather and Ginny's parents all the way into Hogsmeade. When they were seated at a central table in the Three Broomsticks, Ginny watched everyone else in the pub turn to stare at them. When Ginny went out with Draco, they often got glances, particularly from young witches admiring Draco's good looks. But this staring was of a different caliber entirely. Ginny realized that she hadn't been out with the great Harry Potter since they'd dated at Hogwarts, and he was only more famous now. But Harry didn't seem to notice (she supposed he was used to it), and after Rosmerta had brought them drinks and taken their order, he looked up from the menu and regarded Ginny curiously.<p>

"So," he said slowly, "Why didn't you ever mention that you got a Charms professorship?"

"Well, I was going to the night the three of you came home," Ginny answered honestly, meeting his eyes, "but things got kind of intense, and I guess I just forgot."

Harry smiled. "Yeah," he agreed, "I guess things did get a little intense. But you could have told me later…it's exciting! I would've liked to know."

"Well," Ginny said, raising her eyebrows at him teasingly. "You've been avoiding me, mister. I've barely seen you since that night."

Harry shrugged sheepishly. "I guess I have kind of been avoiding you," he admitted.

Ginny looked at him seriously, holding his bright green gaze. "Do you want to tell me why?"

Harry sighed deeply and sat back in his chair. Then, after a moment, he seemed to think better of it and leaned forward again, placing one elbow on the table and anxiously rubbing the back of his neck.

"I guess…." he began. He stopped short and looked up at her. "You really want an honest answer?"

"Of course I do," Ginny said. "We're supposed to be trying to be friends, remember?"

He nodded. "I guess," he started again, "I had this image of where you would be in my life when I came home, you know? And now that that's no longer an option, I sort of had to figure out what my _new_ life was going to be like."

"And that new life didn't include me?" Ginny asked slowly.

"No, no, it did," Harry assured her quickly. "I just thought it would be easier somehow…to figure everything out if I didn't see you for a while."

Ginny nodded. "I think I understand" she said. "Unfortunately, that plan seems to be shot to hell now, doesn't it?"

Harry laughed aloud and took a swig of his Butterbeer. "Seems to be. Although," he added thoughtfully, "It wasn't really working anyway."

Ginny was about to ask him what he meant, but just then, Rosmerta brought out their food. And by the time the barmaid had left, Ginny had thought better of it.

"So why didn't _you_ ever mention working for Hogwarts?" she asked instead.

"Well, like you said, we never really saw each other. My fault, of course," Harry said quickly, grinning at Ginny's peeved expression. "But it was sort of an impulse thing. You see, Kingsley asked me, Ron, and Hermione to join up with the Aurors as soon as we got back. You know, to get started sorting out all of the remaining dark wizards around the country…."

"Yeah," Ginny said, "Hermione mentioned that."

"Oh yeah, over dinner the other night? She said you guys had dinner."

Ginny nodded.

"Well, I was at the Ministry with Ron, going to meet with Shacklebolt," Harry continued, "and I ran into Professor McGonagall in the hall, and she asked if I would consider taking the Defense post. And I realized that I am just so bloody _exhausted_ from the past four years. I figure I could use a break before I start Auror training." He sighed heavily. "I think really doing it…really killing him…it took a lot out of me."

As he finished speaking, Harry looked so worn out and weary that Ginny reached out and put her hand over his. Harry put his other hand over hers; his skin felt warm on hers.

"Well you made the right choice then," she said softly. "And you'll be a great Defense professor," she added. "Remember DA?"

Harry grinned brightly. "And your students will be in good hands too," he said, "Just promise not to teach them the Bat Bogey, okay? I don't think I can take one of those from every kid I fail on an exam."

"Do you plan on failing a lot of students, Professor Potter?" Ginny laughed.

"Only the annoying ones," Harry quipped.

They spent the rest of the meal chatting cheerfully about their lesson plans. Harry told Ginny with a confidential gleam in his eye that he had drawn up rules for an inter-house dueling competition to get his students thinking about the spells more practically, and Ginny imparted some of the teaching tricks she'd learned in Geneva. Ginny realized about mid-way through their conversation that their hands were still clasped on the table, and she withdrew hers quickly. Harry, who hadn't seemed to have noticed either, reddened a little and settled his hands on his lap.

"I can't believe we were both in Geneva at the same time!" Ginny said quickly. "Do you think we passed on the street?"

"Maybe once or twice," Harry said, smiling widely at the possibility, "Although, we weren't out much in the day."

"I _knew_ I should have risked the muggings and gone on late-night walks!" Ginny said. "Maybe then we would have run into each other. Merlin, I would've had a heart attack."

Harry laughed. "Well," he said, reluctantly glancing at the clock on the pub wall, "We better get back to school. Lots to do."

They paid for their meal and walked outside into a heavy downpour.

"Bloody hell," Ginny said. "That was sudden."

Harry shrugged. "English weather," he sighed. "Here, let's walk."

As they stepped out from under the overhang, he wordlessly cast a spell, and a small, clear dome – rather like a bubble – erected itself around them. The rain pattered noiselessly against the walls of the dome, keeping them perfectly dry as they started back toward the castle.

"Nice spell," Ginny said, grinning and nudging Harry appreciatively. "You'll have to teach me that one."

"Came in useful over the years, let me tell you," Harry replied.

"By the way," Ginny said, "You said Hermione told you about our dinner. But did she happen to mention the scandalous circumstances of my inviting her and Ron to the Leaky?" she asked slyly, cocking an eyebrow at him and smiling.

"No," Harry said curiously, "What?"

"Well, I went over to the Burrow to ask all of you to dinner, and my mum tells me Ron and Hermione are in Ron's room. So I go up there, and what do I find but –."

"Them shagging," cut in Harry.

Ginny turned to him, eyes wide, and he burst into laughter. She realized she hadn't heard him laugh so fully in years. "How did you know!" she asked incredulously.

Harry recovered himself and faced her, grinning. "Same _exact _thing happened to me two years ago. Except," he added thoughtfully, "Ron's room was a tent…and the Burrow was the backyard of a very disreputable-looking house. I've learned to knock."

Ginny guffawed. "I did knock! And Merlin, have they been shagging all over Europe!"

"Apparently so!" Harry laughed. "I try not to think about it. That's the best course of action." He shuddered.

"Thanks for the tip, Potter."

"No problem. I think I won the bet though," he added cheekily.

"What bet?" Ginny said.

"Remember? You said they'd be blind for a least another ten years, and _I _said that one of their fights would inevitably lead to them shagging in highly inappropriate places, _which _is exactly what happened," he finished happily.

"Ohhh yeah!" Ginny exclaimed. "What was the prize for winning that one again?"

"Erm…," Harry said, suddenly reddening and glancing at her side-long. His awkward expression triggered Ginny's memory, and she felt her cheeks heat.

"Well, unfortunately, I think we're gonna have to do a rain check on _that_ one," she said uncomfortably.

Harry snorted. "Yeah, definitely."

They reached the entrance to the castle, but as Harry started inside, Ginny grasped his arm and held him back. "Harry, wait," she said seriously. He looked at her questioningly, all concern.

"Are you going to be okay…you know, with all this? You said you needed to figure your life out and all that, and I just want to make sure…."

Harry covered her hand with his and squeezed. "It's fine, Ginny," he said, meeting her eyes, "Like I said…that whole thing," he waved his hand dismissively, "it was silly. We…," he nudged her good-naturedly on the shoulder, "we get along really well, Gin, always have. Even before we were, you know, together. It'd be a shame to give that up."

Ginny looked at him searchingly, but he smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine, really," he repeated.

"All right," she said finally. "I'm glad you feel that way." Harry nodded and pulled her into a gentle, friendly hug. She smiled and patted him on the back.

"So," he said, pulling away and smiling brightly. "I'm going to go work on lesson plans. Maybe I'll see you at dinner?"

"Yeah," Ginny agreed, grinning back. "I'd like that."

Ginny spent the rest of the day finalizing her curriculum and settling in to her new living space. She found Harry sitting with Hagrid and Madam Pomfrey at dinner, and they passed an hour in friendly chatter. Everything seemed to be going really well with Harry, and it made Ginny hopeful…maybe everything would work out fine after all.

But when she had gotten back to her room and was getting ready for bed, Draco floo'd her to ask her about her day. She told him cheerfully about McGonagall's discussion and about how Hagrid, Madam Pomfrey, and Madam Hooch were getting along. It was only after they had confirmed their dinner and sleepover plans for the next night and said goodbye that Ginny realized she hadn't told him about Harry.

* * *

><p>As she lay in bed that night, alone for the first time in two years, she could be completely honest with herself. She hadn't <em>forgotten<em> to tell Draco about Harry's job and their lunch…she had purposefully kept it from him. But why? She knew he would be angry and would overreact, that's why. And she was happy to be friends with Harry again…but she also knew it was delicate. She didn't want Draco's anger and jealousy to muck it up. Ginny sighed and rolled onto her stomach. No, for now she would keep it to herself. What Draco didn't know wouldn't hurt him. And, she thought, rolling her eyes, her friendship with Harry was totally innocent anyway.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: I hope you liked this chapter! I know it was rather short, but don't worry – the next one will be longer and there will be much more drama (I think you know what will happen, *nudge nudge*). So stay tuned! It'll be up very soon! And in the meantime – please review!<p> 


	15. Another Man's Girl

**Chapter 14: Another Man's Girl**

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><p>Ginny fumbled for the zipper of her dress – a pale, form-fitting thing – and sighed, glancing at the clock on the wall. She reached for her wand to magic it up, but there was a knock on the door. She bounced two steps across the room, twisting her body awkwardly to pull on her heels as she went, and pulled it open.<p>

"Harry! Perfect timing – zip me up!" she said cheerfully, turning around and pulling her hair over her shoulder expectantly.

"Wow, going somewhere fancy?" Harry said, reaching for the back of her dress. His fingers brushed her bare back ever-so-slightly, and Ginny felt him hesitate the tiniest bit before sliding the zipper up. She shook the thought away and whirled to face him. "I was going to ask you if you wanted to grab dinner in the Great Hall, but I think you're a little too dressed up for that," he added.

"Dinner in London," she said.

"With Malfoy?" Harry asked. His voice was light, and Ginny followed his lead.

"Yeah, a sort of celebratory thing…for the new job and all," she replied.

"All right," Harry said, turning to go. "Well, I guess I'll see you around."

Ginny smiled, "Okay, I'll see you later."

When Harry had gone, Ginny checked herself in the mirror one last time, then grabbed her bag and headed out the door. The last bit of summer, which had been clinging to the weather for weeks, was on its last legs, and Ginny immediately regretted not bringing a coat. She considered going back into the castle for it, but just then Draco Apparated into view beyond the castle gate, and she thought better of it. If she dodged back into the castle, Draco would want to come with her, and then there was the possibility that he would see Harry. Ginny sighed. Why did this feel like cheating?

Brushing the guilt from her mind, she plastered a smile onto her face and bounded down the castle steps to meet him midway down the entrance path.

"Well, hello there Professor Weasley," Draco said, leaning down to kiss her softly on the lips.

"Mmm, hello," Ginny replied, grasping his hand. "So, where are we headed?"

"I made a reservation in London," he said. "Hang on." He squeezed her hand gently, and Ginny shut her eyes tight against the disorienting feeling of being whirled away to an unknown location.

"I'm never going to get used to that," she muttered, glancing around. They were in the middle of a deserted street. A broken streetlamp flickered from the corner and Ginny stepped left to avoid a Muggle newspaper that was blowing softly in the breeze. "Are you sure we're in the right place?"

Draco just smirked and put an arm around her, leading them up to the door of a run-down house a few feet before them. Looking significantly at Ginny, he pulled out his wand and tapped it twice on the door frame. She grinned as the edges of the door momentarily gleamed bright blue. "I'm surprised I've never been here before…Dad loves to come in to Muggle London and…."

Her breath caught in her throat as Draco pushed open the door to reveal a huge room, almost the size of a Quidditch pitch, and incredibly richly decorated. There were sparkling chandeliers hanging from the vaulted ceiling, gold-colored wallpaper lined the room, and it was milling with witches and wizards in formal clothing. Ginny turned to Draco, eyes wide. "Where in Merlin's name are we?"

"It's called Pura," Draco said, grinning. He paused for a moment and cocked his head thoughtfully. "Or at least, it was the last time I was here. I have a feeling they've changed it by now."

Draco hailed a waiter, who hurried over and bowed deferentially to them. "Follow me, please, Sir and Miss." Ginny raised her eyebrows at Draco, who visibly suppressed a chuckle at her facial expression.

When they were seated at their table, Draco scanned the wine list with an expert eye and pointed to one with a name Ginny didn't recognize. "Excellent choice, right away, Sir," the waiter said, bowing again as he backed away.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Ginny turned sharply to Draco. "So," she said, "Is dinner going to cost me my whole year's pay, because I really don't think I should blow it all in one place."

Draco laughed aloud. "Hardly," he said, "I'm paying. It's your congratulatory dinner, remember?"

"Hmph," Ginny grumbled, but she nudged his foot appreciatively beneath the table.

"Anyway, it's well worth the price," Draco continued, "The steaks are incredible, and the service alone…."

"About that," Ginny said, "How do you know about this place again? Bloody hell, there aren't even prices on this menu…," she muttered, trailing a finger down the list of dishes.

Draco chuckled. "My parents and I used to come here all the time," he said nonchalantly. "I didn't think it would still be running, let alone this popular, now that there's been a very permanent shift in power, but apparently the new Ministry is a very forgiving group."

"Ah," Ginny said, finally understanding. "_Pura_."

"Indeed," Draco said. "It wasn't technically restricted to purebloods, but the clientele did tend to lean that way."

"Well," Ginny said, "I don't really know how I feel about having dinner in the bastion of prejudice, but…."

"Trust me," he said, "the food is worth it."

Looking up at his smirking face, Ginny was hard-pressed to maintain a stern expression. "You are such a spoiled git, do you know that?"

"Don't you mean dashing and worldly?" he teased.

"No. I mean spoiled and git-like," she dead-panned, and he laughed.

They spent the next forty minutes discussing recent developments in their apartment building (Draco informed her that there had been issues with the water billing) and talking about work. He asked her lightly if anything was new at Hogwarts, and Ginny felt a heavy knot of guilt rising in her stomach. But she told him no anyway, reasoning that telling him about Harry would only ruin this wonderful date. Draco was right about the food, and by the time they were polishing off their dessert, Ginny was sitting back in her seat, thoroughly stuffed.

"You know," she said teasingly, "You really had some nerve bringing me here."

"Whatever do you mean?" Draco said, meeting her gaze innocently.

"I mean," Ginny laughed, tossing her napkin at him across the table, "that this is a bloody Slytherin haunt and you've just made me fall in love with the enemy's steak and potatoes."

"Slytherins are your enemies?" Draco replied easily, "And here I thought we were making so much progress."

"Oh, sod off," Ginny returned.

"Anyway," Draco continued, "I think this place really represents something important about what Scarhead and your git of a brother and his girlfriend have accomplished. What used to be a 'Slytherin haunt,' as you so flatteringly call it, is now nothing more than a fancy restaurant that serves incredibly well-cooked beef products." He smirked at her, daring her to contradict him.

She met his eyes for three full seconds and then burst into laughter. "You are so full of it, Malfoy," she managed between desperate breaths.

"Plus," Draco added, "Pushing your buttons is half the fun."

"So you planned this whole evening with the intention of working me up, is that right?" Ginny said. And from the way his pale skin reddened ever-so-slightly around his high cheekbones, Ginny knew that he had caught on to the double meaning behind her words. She smirked a little; that little flush had all but confirmed that he had felt her absence from his bed very acutely. For a split second she congratulated herself on winning their constant battle of flirtatious banter, but Draco was nothing if not smooth.

He leaned forward, looked her right in the eye with challenging gleam, and said in a low voice, lingering deliciously on each word, "That's exactly right."

He held her gaze just long enough to make her shiver a little – bloody hell, why did he always have this effect on her? – and then he turned nonchalantly and asked for the bill.

By the time they got back to Hogwarts, Ginny was feeling heady with anticipation. These sorts of biting, challenging evenings always ended the same way. She led him quickly through the castle halls to her room, his fingertips searing her own like a brand. She opened the door to her room and let him inside, tossing her bag onto one of the armchairs and nudging the door closed with her hip.

"So," she said, once they were alone in the room, "this is it." His eyes flicked briefly over the furniture, hesitating a moment longer on the bed, and slid back to her.

"It's nice," he said. "I hate that you're living away from me, though," he added.

"Missed me last night, eh?" Ginny grinned.

"You have no idea," he said. "I guess I just got used to having you in my bed every night."

Ginny tutted teasingly. "You'll get used to it eventually."

Draco shook his head, a smirk playing around his lower lip. "Never," he said, and before she could answer, he closed the distance between them and pulled her against him. They never made it to the bed.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Ginny woke and immediately sat up straight, disoriented. Everything was too tall – she was at the level of a chair leg – and why wasn't she in her bed?<p>

"Mmm, come back," Draco mumbled from beside her, wrapping an arm around her midriff and pulling her back onto the fur rug he had Summoned the night before. She sighed with relief and lay back down, her cheek against his warm, hard chest.

"What time is it?" he murmured. Ginny glanced out the window; a dewy sort of light shone in between half-closed curtains.

"Early," she replied softly. "Probably about five. What time do you have to leave for work?"

"Later," he said vaguely. She lay comfortably for a while, feeling his heartbeat against her cheek.

"Hungry," Draco groaned after a moment, still not opening his eyes. Ginny looked up at him and chuckled.

"You'll probably have to get up before we can go get breakfast. I feel bad calling the house elves at this hour."

"Can't get up," he moaned. "You wore me out, you bloody minx." He rolled toward her, eyes still firmly shut, and dotted kisses along her neckline.

Ginny laughed at his antics and pushed herself away from him. "All right, lazybones," she said, "I'll go get us some breakfast from the Great Hall. You stay here…I'll be right back."

"Thank you," Draco mumbled, lifting his arm so she could scoot out from beneath it and stand. Ginny threw on a pair of denim shorts and an oversized t-shirt – one of Draco's that she had pilfered long ago – and with an affectionate glance back at Draco's sleeping form, left the room.

As expected, the Great Hall was largely empty. Ginny ran her fingers through her hair, trying to straighten out the tangles that remained from last night's…she blushed and grinned to herself…activities. She planned to sneak down, grab a plate of eggs, toast, and sausages and head back upstairs unnoticed. It wasn't until she had actually grabbed a plate and began spooning eggs onto her plate that she noticed Harry sitting at the end of Gryffindor's house table, regarding her with surprise.

"Harry!" she cried, "You scared me!"

"Sorry," Harry said, smiling. "You're up early. Here, sit down," he added, patting the bench beside him. "How was dinner?"

Ginny cleared her throat awkwardly. "I'm actually just going to eat in my room," she said slowly.

"Antisocial," he teased.

"No, actually" Ginny muttered, "I...er…have company upstairs."

"Company?" Harry said, smiling confusedly. She watched understanding pass across his face like a flash, "Oh. Company. Well," he said embarrassedly.

Ginny turned away from the visibly uncomfortable expression and continue scooping food onto her plate. "You're up rather early yourself," she said. "I don't seem to remember early rising being one of your virtues."

When she turned back to face him, plate full, he had adjusted his expression to an easygoing smile. "It definitely wasn't, but I woke up early a lot while I was gone…and I don't sleep well anyway."

"Nightmares?" Ginny said knowingly. Harry nodded. "I had a problem with that while you were gone too. It helps if…." She stopped short, realizing that her only advice was to spend the night with someone and let them rub your back and say soothing things into your ear. She didn't think Harry would want to get that advice from her.

"If?" he said curiously.

She shook her head and forced a wide smile onto her face. "Nevermind," she said. "Well…I'm going to -."

She was cut off as the doors to the hall burst open loudly and Draco stormed in, his expression irate. His eyes flew to Ginny and his mouth opened in a retort, but then he noticed Harry, who had sprung up and drawn his wand with a speed that made Ginny's head spin. Draco's face darkened with fury.

"Potter, what the hell -," Draco hissed. He crossed the hall to them in five strides, and before Ginny could open her mouth to react, threw a punch that landed squarely on Harry's jaw.

"DRACO!" Ginny shrieked, thrusting the plate aside as Harry reeled back. In a moment, the dark-haired man was upright, wand aloft, the words of a spell on his lips.

"HARRY, WAIT!" Ginny cried, throwing herself between them and pushing Harry back, forcing his wand arm down. She whirled to face Draco, who had drawn his own wand. "Draco, what the bloody hell are you playing at!"

"What is he doing here!" Draco yelled. "You know what, Potter," he spat at Harry over Ginny's shoulder, "I knew you were full of it, spouting all of your heroic bullshit, but I thought you at least had enough honor to keep the hell away from another man's girlfriend!"

"What the hell are you talking about, Malfoy!" Harry retorted, raising his wand again.

"Wait just a second!" Ginny yelled over them. "Draco, what are you talking about!"

Draco finally tore his gaze from Harry and fixed Ginny with a look so angry and accusing that she physically flinched. He threw a newspaper that she hadn't noticed before down on the table beside them. "_This_," he said harshly, "came just now. To your room."

Ginny looked at the paper, moving it along the table so that Harry could see it without closing any of the distance separating him from Draco. It was this morning's Daily Prophet, and the headline made Ginny's stomach drop. "Oh no," she whispered, and she heard Harry's sharp intake of breath beside her.

**MAN-WHO-CONQUERED REKINDLES ROMANCE WITH HOGWARTS SWEETHEART!**

Beneath the blaring headline and spanning the entire rest of the front page were two photographs. The first showed Ginny and Harry laughing together in The Three Broomsticks with – Ginny cringed – their hands clasped atop the table. The second photograph was perhaps more damning than the first. It showed Harry and Ginny standing on the front steps of Hogwarts, talking seriously, and then Harry pulling Ginny into a hug. The hug played over and over, and Ginny forcibly turned the page and scanned the article, her heart sinking with each moment.

_Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived turned Man-Who-Conquered, seems to have rekindled more than just the hope of the wizarding world. Potter, 21, was spotted yesterday on a romantic date with Ginny Weasley, 20, in Hogsmeade. The two were seen laughing, holding hands, and hugging throughout the afternoon. Dagny Wakefield, a barmaid at The Three Broomsticks, said: "They seemed very much in love. Everyone could see it…it was so obvious!"_

_Potter and Weasley have a long history; they dated during their schooldays at Hogwarts. According to a former classmate who asked to remain anonymous, they "were inseparable. I don't think [Ronald Weasley, Potter's best friend and Weasley's brother] was too thrilled about it, but they didn't seem to care. They were all over each other. Once, a professor caught them snogging in a broom cupboard and they got detention for a week!" It was reported when Potter disappeared four years ago that he and Weasley had ended their relationship, but it seems that since Potter's return, the couple are giving it another go._

The rest of the article waxed eloquent about what was known of Harry's mission and then recounted every piece of gossip the reporter had managed to dredge up about their relationship at Hogwarts and Ginny's past "flings."

Ginny turned to face Draco, whose expression was still clouded with anger. "Draco," she said softly, "I can explain…."

"So you're not denying it then," he hissed.

"Of course I'm denying it!" Ginny said quickly. "They've blown it totally out of proportion…we were just having a friendly lunch and they got entirely the wrong idea…."

"Did they!" Draco said, his voice rising quickly, "Because I'm pretty damn sure that anyone looking at those pictures is going to get the exact same bloody idea, Ginny!"

"Hey," Harry cut in harshly, "Stop talking to her like that and let her explain…."

"Stay the hell out of this, Potter!" Draco yelled.

"Harry, please," Ginny said appeasingly. "Draco, it really was just a friendly lunch."

"Then what in Merlin's name is he doing here right now!" he demanded.

"He works here!" Ginny burst out. Draco swallowed his next retort and fell silent, eyes boring into her. "Look, he works here, all right? He's the new Defense professor. We went to lunch after McGonagall's presentation, and the Prophet just took those photos completely out of context and just wrote whatever the hell they bloody wanted! It's nothing!"

"And you knew he was going to be working here?" Draco said slowly.

"No!" Ginny insisted, "I didn't know he would be here until I saw him yesterday, I swear!"

Draco regarded her silently for a moment, and it felt like an eternity. Ginny found she was holding her breath.

"It really was just lunch, Malfoy," Harry said from behind her. Draco didn't even look at him.

Suddenly, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the hall. Ginny was stunned for a moment.

"Draco, wait!" she said, rushing after him. She caught up with him in the entrance hall outside. The halls were still mercifully deserted. "Draco, wait! Talk to me!" she repeated, grabbing hold of his arm.

He whirled to face her, and his face was harsh and stone-cold. For the second time, his expression made her flinch. "Why did you lie to me?" he said, voice low.

"What? I didn't…."

"You did. I asked you multiple times if there was anything new going on at school, and you said there was nothing. You looked me in the face and said nothing was new. You might as well have lied."

The ball of guilt exploded in Ginny's stomach. "Draco," she said pleadingly, "I'm so sorry. I know I was wrong. I should have…."

"You should have told me the moment – the bloody moment – you knew he was working here," Draco cut in.

"I'm sorry," Ginny repeated. "But I didn't think it would make any difference, really…he's…."

"It's like he followed you here, Ginny," Draco said, screwing the bases of his palms into his eyes in a frustrated gesture, "and I don't like it. Bloody hell, this is exactly what I was afraid -."

He stopped short again and Ginny knew that, once again, he wasn't going to be honest with her about what he was really afraid of. "He didn't follow me here!" Ginny insisted, "He didn't even know I would be here…he was just as surprised as me! And it's not like that," she added, "Harry's not in love with me or pursuing me or anything like that!"

Draco's eyes pierced into hers for a long moment. "You better be bloody well sure of that, Ginny," he said, voice hard. "Because I'm not."

"I'm sure," Ginny said. Most of her mind was confident of that; she ignored the part that wasn't.

Draco sighed and broke their gaze. "I'm going to work," he said suddenly.

"Okay," Ginny said softly. "Draco?" she said as he turned away of her. "Are we okay?"

He didn't turn around. His shoulders were tense. "Yeah," he said sharply, and then he walked away.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: ACK, SO MUCH DRAMA! What do you think? I hope it made up for the short-ish, boring-ish last chapter. Please review! :)<p> 


	16. The Funeral

**Chapter 15: The Funeral**

* * *

><p>The rest of the week was torture for Ginny. The students wouldn't arrive until next week, so for the first few days after the blow-up in the Great Hall, Ginny threw herself into work. She wrote detailed lesson plans for the first month's worth of courses, then realized that she would probably have to re-write at least half of them depending on the students' levels of expertise in the early material. So she had scrapped half of her work and started over on crafting alternative lesson plans. But after that source of distraction was exhausted, she had no choice but to sit and reflect fully on what had happened.<p>

She Floo'd Draco every day, but he was curt and cold, and when he answered her questions with harsh one-word responses, she could only keep up the conversation for ten minutes tops. She had been dating him long enough to know that when he had said they were okay, he had meant it in the loosest possible sense. And she had been friends with him long enough to realize that he wasn't going to forgive her easily.

"You've got to stop that." Ginny started as Harry's voice cut in on her thoughts. She sat up straighter in the alcove and immediately winced as her stiff muscles protested against the cold stone.

"Stop what?" she said a little embarrassedly as she tried to settle herself into a more upright sitting position.

"Moping in that incredibly uncomfortable little nook," he said, smiling wryly.

"Well you don't have to go insulting my nook," Ginny said, trying for humor. She didn't like that Harry had noticed her moodiness.

Harry had the grace to chuckle a little at her forced joke. "I guess I shouldn't scorn what I haven't tried." He shrugged and crossed the distance between them, lifting himself by his arms onto the ledge to join her. The nook in question was nothing more than a ledge below a window in one of the castle's dozens of turrets.

Ginny leaned her head back against the cool stone as Harry settled himself across from her. When she turned back to look at him, he was staring at her, eyes bright green and narrowed with skepticism.

"This is without a doubt the most uncomfortable spot I've ever encountered," he deadpanned.

She smiled ever so slightly. She felt a warm tinge of appreciation in her chest. She could tell that he was trying very hard to cheer her up.

"Come on," he said suddenly, dropping off the ledge and holding out his hand. She looked at him quizzically. He rolled his eyes. "Just come on, will you?"

With a sigh, she jumped down and placed her hand in his. "This better be good," she muttered. He just grinned and led her away. He pulled her down the turret steps and through several halls, stopping short in front of a wall Ginny knew only too well.

She whirled to Harry, who was staring at the wall with concentration, his lips moving with a whisper too quiet to hear. "The Room of Requirement?" she asked softly. When she turned back to face the wall, a door had materialized.

"Do I want to know what's behind that?" she said, arching an eyebrow at him.

"Always so skeptical," he said, shaking his head and smiling. He nodded toward the door, and with one last glare back at him, she opened it and walked through. The Room of Requirement was smaller than she'd ever seen it. It was about the size of her bedroom a few floors above and warmly lit by the fireplace that crackled in one corner. A huge round armchair dominated the space and various other comfortable-looking sofas ringed the room. A large dresser stood in a corner next to an old ironcast stove and adjoining cupboard.

Ginny turned in a wide circle to survey the whole room, then whirled to face Harry, who was smiling widely at her awed look. "What is this?" she said.

Harry shrugged self-deprecatingly. "Just somewhere I like to go when I'm feeling…dark. No one can bother you here."

Ginny felt her chest expand exponentially. This was his place, she realized…the place he went to be alone. This was where he went for comfort, and he was sharing it with her. "You don't have to…," she began, but he waved her comment away.

"It's nothing," he said, "There are blankets in the dresser," he added, "and some food in the cupboard by the stove."

"It's great, Harry," she said honestly, bounding over and collapsing onto the round chair. She sank into the cushion and sighed contentedly. It was heavenly.

"Stay as long as you like, Gin," Harry said gently. She raised her head to see him moving toward the door.

"Wait," she said. He paused, his hand on the doorknob. "Stay. Tell me how you've been…I haven't talked to you all week."

She watched him hesitate for a moment. But then he turned and walked back toward her. He went to the dresser and pulled out two big blankets. He tossed one to Ginny before settling himself down on the armchair across from her. Ginny sat up, pulled her knees up to her chest, and draped the blanket over herself.

"Nothing too interesting," Harry answered finally. "A couple house elves helped me trap a Boggart this morning."

Ginny looked at him with mock horror. "Stealing Lupin's lesson plans? I'm scandalized."

"Guilty as charged," Harry said, grinning. "It's a really great lesson. Don't tell him I said that, though."

"Have you seen Teddy yet…since you've been back? He's really big now."

"Yeah, I visited them before work started," Harry said, smiling wider. "They've got their hands full. He's changing his face every ten minutes." Ginny almost launched into a story about when Lupin had first brought Teddy around to the Burrow years ago. He'd taken one wide-eyed look at Draco and his hair had immediately gone platinum blonde. But the thought of Draco made the guilt fall right back into her stomach, and she fell silent.

"Well," she said after an awkward silence, "You better be careful about making the kids face that Boggart. They've all seen much more terrifying things than we had at their age. Well," she said as an afterthought, "maybe not more terrifying things than you had."

Harry sobered immediately. "Or you," he said softly. "You'd been in the Chamber by then."

Ginny froze. This was the first time anyone had mentioned the Chamber aloud since she'd told Draco about it all those years ago. After that, Draco had carefully avoided the subject, falling into a pattern of skirting any mention of her first year the same way her family had. Only Harry had ever really talked about it openly with her. When they'd dated, they had talked about everything, even the darkest stuff. His comment now was a forcible reminder of how close they had once been.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But still. Be gentle with them, Harry," Ginny replied finally.

He nodded. After a moment, he said, "So. Do you want to talk about it?"

Ginny feigned confusion. "Talk about what?" But even as the words came out of her mouth, she knew it was useless. He already knew she was feeling low…he'd brought her here, after all.

"What happened the other day."

"It was nothing," Ginny said testily. She felt annoyance begin to simmer in her chest.

"Then why are you brooding?"

"I'm not," Ginny said irritably. Patently untrue.

"Yes you have," he said, his voice still calm against her increasingly angry tone. "All week."

"I don't want to talk about it," she snapped.

"Okay," Harry said, shrugging. This sudden change in tack only infuriated her further. She knew it wasn't rational. But all of the guilt was bubbling to the surface as anger, and Harry was the easiest target right now.

"It was my fault!" she burst out finally. "Is that what you wanted to hear?" She fixed him with a challenging gaze, but where other people usually looked away, Harry held her eyes. His eyes blazed into hers, not backing down.

"No," he said firmly. "But it's true."

Ginny laughed mirthlessly. "Thanks for sparing my feelings, Potter," she said.

"I don't patronize you, Gin," he returned. "You know that."

Ginny felt the anger fall out of her. She exhaled harshly. "I should have told him," she admitted. She shut her eyes against the wave of guilt that pulsed through her when she said the words aloud. When she opened them again, Harry was nodding slowly.

"Yeah," he said. "Why didn't you?"

"I knew he wouldn't like it…us being around each other so much. I think he's afraid."

"Of what?" Harry said.

Ginny shrugged. "He won't say it out loud." Harry just nodded. "I knew he'd overreact."

At this, he smiled wryly, rubbing his palm against his jawline. "Well I have a very sore jaw that says you were right about that one."

Ginny looked over at him apologetically. "I'm so sorry about that, Harry."

He laughed. "It's okay, Gin." He paused. "He still isn't over it?"

She shook her head. "He says we're okay, but he's been distant. Cold."

"And you've apologized?"

"Profusely."

Harry sighed. "Well, part of it is probably him being tense about the funeral."

Ginny's brow furrowed. "What funeral?"

Harry's eyes widened at her confused expression. "You don't know?" Ginny shook her head. "I heard about it from Kingsley. Lucius Malfoy is holding a belated funeral for Narcissa. It's today, actually."

Ginny's first feeling was shock. It quickly transformed into a white-hot anger. How could he not have told her! Something this important, and he was letting one bloody fight keep her from being there with him! But then the anger morphed again, this time into a deep despair. He had put up the wall again. Their whole relationship, from the day he had first come to the Burrow, had been about learning to trust each other…to open up. And her one stupid action had made him put up the barriers again. He didn't want her there.

"I'm sorry, Gin," Harry said, seeming to read her thoughts right off her face. "I wish I could tell you where…."

"It doesn't matter," she said quickly, trying to keep the tears down. "He doesn't want me there. I should respect his wishes."

Harry thrust his blanket away and came down to sit beside her. He put a reassuring hand on the small of her back. "With all due respect, Gin," he said gently, "That's a load of bollocks."

That was not what she had been expecting him to say, and she whirled to face him. He was blurred around the edges by the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "That's a horrible thing to say to comfort someone," she said, a tiny bit of amusement finding its way to the surface.

"What did we just say about patronizing?" he said.

"Point taken," she whispered, chuckling a little under her breath.

"No matter how mad he is, he still wants you there. It's his pride getting the better of him," Harry said, "and trust me, I know a thing or two about misplaced pride. You should go."

Ginny sighed. She knew he was right. Draco might need her, but his pride always got the better of him. "When is it?"

"This afternoon sometime. Maybe you could Floo someone to ask?" Harry said.

Shaking herself, Ginny thrust the blanket away and stood. "All right." She paused at the doorway. "How do I get back in here again?" she said. "It's wonderful."

"Just ask for Harry's private room," he said easily. "The room will know what you mean."

Ginny nodded and filed this piece of information away. She turned back to the door, but paused again with her hand on the doorknob. She looked back at Harry over her shoulder. "Why are you doing this?" she asked softly. "You hate Draco."

"I hate seeing you unhappy, Gin," he replied, meeting her eyes with a resigned expression on his face.

"Thank you," she said truthfully, and then she hurried out the door.

Five minutes later she was back in her room, pacing before the fireplace with a handful of Floo powder in her hand. Who could she ask? Who would know where and when the funeral was being held? Not her family, certainly. None of her friends from school. She realized that she hardly knew anyone from Draco's former life…she'd never met any of his Slytherin friends. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a thick piece of parchment sticking out of the wastebasket in the corner. In one swift moment she retrieved it and flipped the card open. Inside, in fine, spidery script were the words:

_To Draco Malfoy:_

_As you have not contacted me in recent years, I shall have to trust that this owl finds you to deliver this message. The new Ministry has cleared me of most charges; your mother's efforts to shield you from the Dark Lord proved fertile ground for pleading duress in almost all circumstances. Instead of imprisonment, I have been sentenced to a heavy fine which I have already paid. I would not be writing but for the fact that we both loved your mother very much; that much, at least, we have in common. I will be holding a belated funeral for her this Saturday at five o'clock at the Manor. I expect your attendance._

At the bottom was Lucius Malfoy's signature and seal. Ginny realized that Draco must have received this note here on Hogwarts, on the same morning that he had gotten that fateful Daily Prophet. Setting it alight with her wand, she tossed the Floo powder back in the bowl by the fireplace. She brushed her hands and glanced at the clock. Four-fifty…she could just barely make it on time. In retrospect, she should have realized that the funeral would be taking place at Malfoy Manor. But somehow, she had never really associated Draco with that place.

She went to her dresser and pulled out a black dress, cut high in the front, and slipped on sheer stockings and low black heels. She pulled her mane of red hair up into a bun and fastened the simple locket that Draco had given her on her seventeenth birthday around her neck. She threw her wand and a few Galleons into a clutch and hurried out the door. As soon as she was beyond the castle's wards, she Apparated away.

* * *

><p>Ginny was still trying to get her bearings when she was jostled from behind by a black-clad man making his way up the lane she had landed in. She realized, glancing warily around, that there were about a dozen other people heading up the path, and by their attire she assumed that they too were going to Narcissa Malfoy's funeral. Following them all silently, she took in the manor before her.<p>

Draco hadn't been exaggerating. It was huge. She passed through the wrought-iron gate that he had described. It didn't _look_ very imposing, but she could almost hear it crackling with magical defense spells. The house itself made her shiver a little. It was so looming and cold-looking. So unlike any of the homes she had ever shared with Draco.

Ginny followed the other mourners into the house through the front entrance. The foyer was just as magnificent as Ginny would have expected, given the enterior of the house. Vaulted ceilings and expensive-looking sculptures dominated, but she didn't have much time to take it all in. She followed straight through the foyer and into must be – she remembered Draco's description of the manor – the larger of the two parlours. This room was milling with black-clad people speaking in low voices, and Ginny immediately scanned the crowd for Draco.

A few of the other people in the room looked up as the newest group entered, drawing familiar faces into their small groups, but in the process, several people spotted Ginny. She heard darting whispers following her as she moved slowly across the room, still scanning for Draco's tall figure. She distinctly heard the words "Weasley," "blood traitor," and "Potter" among the whispers, and she felt a slick bile of fear on her tongue. A few months ago, some of these people would have taken great pleasure in torturing her. She forced herself to swallow…it was different now. Their presence here meant that they had escaped Azkaban, which meant that they had successfully convinced the Kingsley's ministry that they had been under duress during Voldemort's entire reign. They were good citizens of the Wizarding World now. Their freedom depended on it.

She couldn't find him, and for a brief moment she wondered if she and Harry had been wrong. Maybe he had rejected his father's invitation and wasn't here at all. But no. She knew him. He had loved his mother more than anyone (except maybe Pansy, she thought wryly). He must be here.

A group of mourners in front of her caught sight of her and all moved out of her way, whispering furiously. She felt a sudden urge to hex them. But then she spotted Draco twenty feet before her, his platinum blonde head bowed closely to the woman beside him. They were speaking swiftly in low voices, but Draco, always attune to his surroundings, seemed to notice the disturbance in the area around him and looked up. Their eyes locked.

He didn't move for what felt like a full minute but was probably only a few seconds. His expression was inscrutable. The woman next to him noticed the direction of his gaze and turned to Ginny with a surprisingly defensive glare, moving to step in front of Draco. This seemed to move Draco to action; he put a hand on her arm to still her and, a determined look on his face, strode over to Ginny.

"Ginny," he said quietly.

"Draco," she returned, but before she could say any more, he place a hand gently on the small of her back and led her into the next room. The whispers followed them, and Draco immediately closed the double doors against them. This seemed to be the smaller parlour. The walls were lined with portraits of what Ginny could only assume were Draco's ancestors.

She turned back to him; he was still leaning by his arms against the doors, his heads spread two feet apart. Then, abruptly, he turned to face her.

"What are you doing here?" he said, his voice gentle. "How did you know…?"

"I saw your dad's note in the wastebin," she said shortly. She considered leaving Harry out of it, but she was done keeping Harry-related information from Draco. "Harry told me you probably hadn't asked me to come out of pride."

She wasn't sure how Draco would react to this, but he actually smiled wryly. "Ironically," he said finally, "I think he knows me pretty well."

Ginny smiled, encouraged. "How are you doing?" she said gently, hazarding a step nearer to him.

"All right. It's strange being back here."

She nodded. "What about everything with your mum?" she said.

He shrugged. "I buried her a long time ago," he said.

"Then why do you look so…tired?" she asked gently. She stepped forward and ran her fingers lightly across the side of his face, lingering on the dark circles under his eyes and the paler-than-usual skin along his cheekbones. Her touch seemed to dissolve whatever hesitation had kept him at arms length. He melted against her, leaning his body against hers and holding the back of her head to his chest.

Holding each other tightly, they stumbled back across the room and collapsed together onto one of the couches. "It's just…seeing everyone again. It's so different now," he said in a rush, his forehead leaning against hers so that their noses almost touched.

She reached up and ran a soothing hand through his hair. She had known he would need her here.

Then he looked right into her eyes and said, "You should have told me, Ginny. About Potter working at Hogwarts."

She met his gaze. "I know."

"You can't keep secrets like that from me. You and I, considering who I am and who you are, we were only ever going to get one shot at this. One shot to really trust each other. There can't be any secrets, Ginny."

She felt them crossing lines, the last remaining barriers between them. She knew it was because emotions were running high today.

"I know," she answered.

"Especially not about Potter. I have to be able to trust you."

So here was the last line before them. She barreled onward. "Why is this so important with Harry?" she asked softly.

"Because," he replied, his gray eyes blazing, "You loved him once, and now that he's back…I'm afraid…," his breath hitched with emotion, and Ginny knew that this was difficult for him to say out loud. "I'm so afraid that you'll leave me to go back to him."

She resisted the urge to pull him into a tight hug, instead keeping her gaze focused on him so that he could see in her eyes that she was telling the truth. "I loved Harry. But I _love_ you. I'm not going to leave you. No more secrets, I promise."

He held her gaze for several seconds, then exhaled deeply. "Okay," he answered softly. "Okay."

He recovered himself, standing and pacing in a wide circle, rubbing his face vigorously. When he turned back to her, he looked like himself again. The intensity of the moment was gone, but he smiled at her and held out his hand. She took it and stood.

He leaned in and kissed her deeply on the mouth, one hand cupping the back of her head. "Thank you," he whispered into her ear. She didn't know if he was thanking her for getting rid of his fears about Harry or for coming to be with him at the funeral.

"You're welcome," she replied. They walked together back across the room to the tall double doors. She knew that their clasped hands would send a wave of whispers through the parlour on the other side.

Draco seemed to think the exact same thought, because as he pushed the doors open, he turned to her, grinned, and said, "Chin up, Weasley. We're together; everyone should know it."

* * *

><p>They buried Narcissa Malfoy in the family vault, and Ginny tried to ignore the indignant swell in her chest when she read the family motto inscribed above the arched doorway: <em>Sanctimonia Vincet Semper<em>. Purity Always Conquers.

As soon as the service was over, Draco squeezed her hand. "I'm going to go say goodbye to Parkinson," he said. Ginny nodded as he moved away. She watched him walk over to the dark-haired woman he had been speaking to earlier. So that was Pansy Parkinson. She was mildly surprised. She wouldn't have recognized the girl from their Hogwarts years. Though she could make out the traces of the pug nose, Pansy seemed to have grown into it. Her face had lengthened, and she had grown out her hair. She was much more attractive now. Ginny remembered the way Pansy had stepped forward when she had arrived; she wondered how much Draco had told Pansy about their fight. She wondered when they'd started speaking again at all. Draco was saying something to Pansy, then leaning down to kiss her on the cheek. Pansy wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a close hug. Ginny looked away.

She noticed the other graves around them. Abraxas Malfoy. Brutus Malfoy. And some even farther back than that. When she looked up again, Draco was making his way back toward her. And to her surprise, he pulled her against him in an embrace. He kissed the top of her head. And in full view of his father, the remaining guests, and all the gravestones of his Pureblood ancestors, he held her close, whispered "Let's go home," softly in her ear, and Apparated them away.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: Please review! I hope the last bit wasn't too sloppy – I have a horrible cold and my medicine is currently making me very drowsy…but I wanted to finish this up and get it posted for you :) We are entering the long territory of DracoGinny fluff – I hope you like what's next!


	17. Heartbreaker

**Chapter 16: Heartbreaker**

* * *

><p>"Slytherin!"<p>

The brown-haired boy jumped up, a pleased smirk on his face, and sauntered over to the table draped in silver and green. Ginny smiled – something about the boy's self-satisfied smirk reminded her of Draco – and she made a mental note to tell Draco about it later.

"Miriam Fox!" Hagrid, who had taken over McGonagall's task of reading the roll, boomed out. A timid-looking blonde girl hesitantly approached the Sorting Hat, and Harry leaned over to whisper in Ginny's ear.

"Ten knuts she's a Hufflepuff."

Ginny grinned. She loved this game. "I think you might be underestimating her," she challenged. "I'll take that bet. She's a Gryffindor."

"Gryffindor!" the hat shouted, almost as soon as it had touched the girl's head.

Ginny turned nonchalantly and raised a cocky eyebrow at him. He rolled his eyes. "Dumb luck. This one's a Ravenclaw."

Ginny appraised the incoming student, noticing (with an eye that year's with Draco had attuned to fine clothing) the fitted cut of the boy's robes and the slight swagger with which he approached the Hat. He definitely came from old money. "Slytherin."

"Slytherin!" Harry turned to Ginny, shock written all over his face, and Ginny grinned cheekily.

"Are you sure you want to be playing this game, Potter? I always win."

Harry scowled. "All right, well now this is getting serious," he said, narrowing his eyes melodramatically at the next student. Ginny laughed aloud, stifling it quickly when McGonagall shot her a stern look.

Half an hour later, when dinner had been served, Ginny held out her hand expectantly. "A worthy adversary, my dear," she said, turning her nose up at him, "but you owe me three Galleons, two Firewhiskies, and an unnamed favor at a later date."

Harry sighed. "I knew I shouldn't have raised the stakes halfway through."

"Well, in your defense," Ginny said, scooping a heap of corn onto her plate, "It was looking pretty good for you for a while there. You really improved!"

Harry shrugged. "Well, to be honest, I went with the opposite of what I actually thought. It tended to work."

Ginny guffawed. "Great strategy," she chuckled.

"My sense of the houses has been completely mucked up since my first year," Harry sighed, taking a large bite of chicken breast.

Mouth full, Ginny just shot him a quizzical look. He swallowed. "Ever since the Sorting Hat almost put me in Slytherin," he said lightly. "And anyway, Peter Pettigrew was probably the most cowardly person I ever met, and he was in Gryffindor…."

Ginny almost spat out her food in her rush to speak. "The Hat almost put you in Slytherin!"

"Old news, Weasley," Harry teased.

"That would've been quite a scandal – the great Harry Potter in _Slytherin_."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "And here I thought you had a higher opinion of Slytherins these days."

"Indeed I do," Ginny said, "Draco will never believe it. The two of you could have been best friends."

"Somehow I doubt that," Harry laughed.

"You're really not that different, you know," Ginny insisted, grinning,

"No," Harry countered. "Really, the only thing we have in common is you."

Ginny thickly swallowed her bite of chicken, but Harry was smiling good-naturedly. Just then, a small bird with very dark – almost black – plumage ducked into the hall. All of the students' heads turned – very few pieces of evening post got through Filch's strict regulations. The bird made a bee-line straight for Harry, dropped a small envelope on the table in front of him, and darted back out into the night.

With no change in expression, Harry slipped the envelope into the front of his robes and turned back to Ginny. She raised her eyebrows at him, but the students, seeming to realize they weren't going to get any more excitement out of that delivery, slowly turned back to their meals.

After dinner, the students dispersed to their common rooms with their prefects, and Ginny and Harry headed back to their rooms through the quickly emptying hallways. As they walked, Harry slipped the envelope from his inner pocket and tore it open.

"Just didn't want this to cause more commotion than it had to…you know how McGonagall is about evening post," he said sheepishly.

Ginny saw a Ministry seal on the front of the envelope . "What is it? Looks official."

"Just another note from Kingsley," Harry said, scanning the parchment. "He's been trying to get me to join the Aurors ever since I turned him down. They have a shortage."

"Oh," Ginny said softly, "I didn't know."

"And there's still a lot to do…cells of Voldemort's supporters who refuse to give themselves up. He's been keeping me updated on this case they're following…a little boy who was kidnapped four days ago. Danny Eckhart," Harry continued distractedly, eyes still flicking across the page.

"Merlin," Ginny said, "That's horrible. Why hasn't it been reported in any of the newspapers?"

They paused at the staircase landing. Harry's room was right above Ginny's, so he would have to continue a floor further.

"The Ministry's trying to keep it hushed up," Harry explained, "Don't want to cause another panic. It's a delicate situation."

Ginny nodded. "So…any news?"

Harry finished the letter and re-folded it, shaking his head. The letter had completely altered his mood; his brow was now furrowed and his eyes had darkened. "They have three veteran Aurors actively on it, and a big chuck of the department doing research. But they still haven't located him."

She put a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry. It's only been a few days though…I'm sure they'll find him."

Harry sighed. "Yeah," he muttered, but he didn't sound convinced. He lapsed into a thoughtful silence, then shook himself. "Anyway, I shouldn't be bothering you with this. You should get some rest – big day tomorrow."

Ginny nodded slowly, a little concerned about him. "Yeah, you too. Get some rest." She gave him a quick hug and he headed up the staircase. She did need to get some rest. Tomorrow was the first day of classes.

* * *

><p>Ginny dressed carefully next morning, smoothing her robes and pulling her hair back into a neat bun. Lesson plans in hand, Ginny headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Many of the students were already there, and Ginny spotted several of the teachers – including Harry – at the high table. She grinned and waved to Harry as she made her way across the hall. He raised a hand back, but his smile looked a little forced. Her brow furrowed, and she noticed out of the corner of her eye that all of the students that were there were gathered in small groups, whispering frantically over something on the tables. Several of them turned and gawked at her as she walked by.<p>

"What's going on?" she asked as she took her seat and began pouring herself a glass of pumpkin juice.

"Have you seen the Prophet yet, Gin?" Harry asked, and Ginny noticed his elbow resting firmly on a copy of the newspaper.

"No," Ginny answered slowly, "it gets delivered to my room, but I haven't had a chance to look at it yet…. Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this?"

Harry hesitated, and beside her, Madam Hooch cleared her throat. "Witch Weekly published an article…," the older woman prompted.

Harry sighed. "And the other papers picked it up…." he continued. "It's not exactly flattering."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Harry," Ginny said impatiently, yanking the Prophet from under Harry's elbow.

Ginny scanned the front page confusedly. It was just a story about the opening of a new wing at St. Mungo's. "What're you on about?" she asked, turning to Harry.

"Page seven," he muttered, "Apparently they've started a brand new gossip column just for us."

"Oh, bloody hell," Ginny said, flipping through the pages. She felt her cheeks reddening at the headline.

**BREAKING POTTER'S HEART: GINNY WEASLEY SEEN WITH MALFOY HEIR**

Under the headline were two photos. One was a re-print of Ginny and Harry holding hands at The Three Broomsticks from the earlier issue. The other showed her and Draco holding hands and entering their flat. It must have been taken just that past weekend – Ginny recognized the clothes she'd been wearing. Printed next to each other, the two photos made her look like a tart. She read the article, anger rising with each word.

_He is certainly no stranger to heartache, but many in the public hoped that Harry Potter had finally found a lasting love in Hogwarts sweetheart Ginny Weasley. Last week, it was widely reported that Potter and Weasley had rekindled their romance. However, it seems that both Potter and the wizarding world at large were fooled by Miss Weasley, who spent a romantic weekend at the flat of rich bachelor Draco Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy family fortune._

_Though Weasley's intentions remain unclear, some former classmates believe that, this time, her ambitions have gotten the better of her. "She comes from quite a poor, obscure family," one, who asked to remain anonymous, revealed. Potter is one of the most famous wizards in history, and Malfoy is in line to be one of the richest wizards in England. However, it cannot be ruled out that Miss Weasley simply enjoys toying with the hearts of two very eligible bachelors. "They were complete enemies at school," says another former classmate, "It must be a rush…having them fight over her."_

Ginny slammed the paper shut, not bothering to read the rest. "What complete bollocks!" she snapped in a harsh whisper. "Who _are_ these 'former classmates' anyway!"

"Prophet probably made them up," Harry sighed.

"And this is what everyone's reading?" Ginny asked, glancing around to where the students were still whispering furiously amongst themselves.

"Well some of them have got the other magazines. The Witch Weekly one's worse, actually. It says you're cheating on me with Malfoy, and what will I do now that they've broken the story and torn down your ruse!" Harry said sarcastically.

"Ugh!" Ginny huffed.

"It'll blow over, though," Harry said, collecting himself. "They print junk like this all the time. Remember what happened to Hermione in fourth year?"

"I remember," Ginny muttered. "I guess I better not open any suspicious-looking letters."

"Yeah, better not," he agreed.

Ginny got to her classroom ten minutes early to arrange everything. She dashed off a quick note to Draco (_Bloody Witch Weekly. If I knew who my anonymous classmates were, I'd hex off their arms and beat them with them_).

When the students began to file in, she was standing at the front of the room, leaning ever so slightly against her desk. It was fifth year Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, and as they took their seats, several groups of girls giggled and tucked copies of Witch Weekly into their bags.

"First things first," Ginny began, when they had all settled down, "My name is Professor Weasley. I was a Gryffindor here at Hogwarts through my Fifth Year, after which I studied at home. This year, it's my job to teach you Charms in preparation for your O.W.L.S. This is going to be a rigorous course, and I expect you to come to class prepared. I don't have many strict rules. For example, I don't mind if you eat food in class or interrupt me to ask questions. But if I see any copies of the Daily Prophet gossip column, Witch Weekly, or any other trash in this classroom, I will throw it out immediately. If you are in desperate need of outside reading," she paused and smiled, "I would be happy to recommend something more accurate."

* * *

><p>After classes, Ginny was on her way up to her room when she heard a shout behind her.<p>

"Gin, wait up!" She slowed down to let Harry catch up to her. "How'd it go?" he asked.

"I only incinerated one copy of Witch Weekly. All in all, a successful class," she said, grinning.

"Really? I got two," he said, smirking.

"Touche."

"So anyway, I have a proposition for you. Remember that dueling competition I was telling you about?"

"Mmm," Ginny said, "The inter-house one. Should be exciting."

"Yeah, but I need a partner to help me demonstrate a couple techniques…."

"And you want me to do it."

"Yeah," Harry said, pouting pleadingly at her. "I can't be hexing my own students to demonstrate. They're all so bloody scared. I want them to see a real duel in action. I think we could put on a good show."

Ginny tilted her head, considering. "Add a quarter pound of chocolate to your debt and I'll do it," Ginny deadpanned.

"Deal."

They shook hands seriously. Just then, a very red-looking First Year bounded up to them and held out a note.

"From Professor McGonagall, Professors," he panted out.

Harry took the note and opened it, skimming it quickly. "McGonagall says she just got a Floo message from Bill…he wants us to go to…." His face broke into a wide grin, and Ginny knew what it was.

"Is Fleur in labor!" she exclaimed. Harry nodded. "Come on!" She took off at a run down the hall, Harry following after her.

"Here, take my arm," Harry said as soon as they were past the Apparition wards. She grabbed onto him, and they whirled away.

They landed about a dozen feet in front of the entrance to St. Mungo's, and Ginny was immediately nearly deafened by a shout.

"It's Potter and Weasley!" a voice called, and suddenly they were being bombarded by flashes of light and frantic questions.

"What the hell!" she said, shaking herself. Harry's arm was already around her waist, guiding her through the throng of photographers and reporters surrounding the hospital entrance.

"Harry! Ginny! Why are you both here at St. Mungo's?"

"Where's Draco Malfoy, Ginny?"

"Ginny! Are you pregnant!"

"Bloody hell!" she muttered. "This is going to be a great headline tomorrow."

"Someone famous must be in the hospital. Lucky us," Harry grumbled through gritted teeth. He half-pulled half-pushed her up the stairs and into the building, where two very burly-looking guards fixed the reporters with hard stares to keep them out.

Ginny jogged up to the front desk. "Weasley. Fleur," she said quickly.

The receptionist looked up slowly from her paperwork. Her eyes widened when she saw them standing before her, and Ginny saw her eyes flick to a copy of what looked suspiciously like Witch Weekly buried under some papers to her left.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," Ginny snapped impatiently, rolling her eyes.

"Fleur Weasley," Harry repeated firmly, fixing the girl with a stern stare.

"Er…," the girl said stammered, hastily shuffling some papers to find the appropriate room assignment, "Third floor. Room 345."

"Let's go," Harry said, grabbing her arm again. They took the stairs two at a time.

"Ginny! Harry! Where's Draco?" Ginny's head snapped over to Fred, who had stood up and was bounding over to greet them. As Fred pulled her into a big hug, she saw the rest of her family, except for her mum, Bill, and Fleur, sprawled on couches in the waiting room.

"Draco? I'm not with him. Was I supposed to bring him?"

"No, Bill said they Owl'd him."

"Well, where are they! Are we too late!"

"No, Fleur's still in labor. It's been an hour and a half now, poor thing," Hermione piped up. She was dressed formally in a pencil skirt, blouse, and heels, and Ginny realized she must have come from work.

"It's a boy, I know it's a boy," Ron chimed in as Ginny and Harry squeezed themselves into the little remaining space on the couches.

"No, definitely a girl," Charlie said knowingly. "Mum said she had morning sickness for ages and that it's only ever Weasley girls that cause that kind of mess."

"It's true," Mr. Weasley said, grinning widely and pointing a mockingly accusing finger at Ginny.

"But it's worth it, of course," Ginny said, smiling sweetly. Everyone burst into laughter.

Their heads all turned as the door to the room behind them burst open and Bill hurtled out. "IT'S A GIRL!" he yelled, punching the air. They all sprang up, cheering, and engulfed Bill in a huge hug.

"Where is she!" Ron yelled over the mayhem. "Can we see her!"

They all began crowding into the hospital room. Somehow, Ginny ended up right next to Fleur's bedside. Her beautiful sister-in-law looked incredibly tired, but was smiling brightly.

"Fleur, you're glowing! Congratulations," Ginny said, grinning. She looked down to the tiny bundle of pink cradled in Fleur's arms.

"Would you like to 'old her?" Fleur asked softly.

"Oh, I'm not sure…," Ginny hesitated. "What if I drop her?" she whispered nervously.

"You won't," Fleur said, voice rising with tinkling laughter. "Here, 'old your arms like so." Ginny positioned her arms properly and took a deep breath as Fleur carefully settled the baby into them.

"What's her name, Fleur," Hermione asked from somewhere behind her.

"Victoire," Fleur said, and there was a collective sigh. Ginny looked down at the tiny baby in her arms and felt tears filling her eyes.

"She's really beautiful, Bill," George was saying jokingly, "Gonna be a real heartbreaker."

"Wait just a second! This room is not made for this many visitors!" a stern nurse cried, bustling in from outside with a tray of medical materials. "Everybody out! I have some tests to run of the mother here!"

Ginny moved to give the baby back to Fleur, but she waved Ginny away. "I 'ave to do these tests. Can you take her outside for me for a few minutes?"

"Okay," Ginny said, grinning, and the rest of the family cleared a small path for her as she carefully carried Victoire Weasley from the room.

In the hall, the rest of the family crowded around her, cooing at the baby. "Oh, she's so cute!" Hermione sighed.

There was a commotion behind them, and Draco appeared at the entrance to the stairwell. He stopped short when he saw Ginny standing with the baby. She smiled widely and at the tender look that crossed his face, a fresh batch of tears blurred her vision.

"Draco!" Charlie said, noticing him and patting him on the back as he joined the group.

"She's gorgeous," Draco commented.

"Victoire Weasley," Ginny said proudly.

Draco reached out and wiped a happy tear from Ginny's cheek, smiling down at her. Ginny wondered if she'd ever been this happy in her life.

* * *

><p>Later, when the baby had been taken back in to Fleur, Ginny and Draco volunteered to bring some tea up to the waiting room. As they made their way to the cafeteria, Draco took her hand.<p>

"I can't believe I missed all the excitement," he said, "I was at lunch with Pansy and when I come back the bloody Owl's sitting on my desk at work. Lazy bird couldn't be bothered to come find me."

"How is Pansy anyway?" Ginny asked, carefully not looking up.

Draco shrugged. "She's fine. Working for her dad now," he answered.

Ginny didn't know quite what to say, so she lapsed into silence.

"I think Bill's going to have his work cut out for him, fighting off all the suitors," Draco said. Ginny grinned brightly at the thought.

"George thought so too," she said.

"Veela good looks and the Weasley temper," Draco mused. "That girl is going to be a force to be reckoned with."

"The boys won't stand a chance," Ginny quipped.

"Do you think our babies will look like that?" Draco asked nonchalantly. Ginny turned to look at him so fast that the bones in her neck cracked a little.

"Ouch," she muttered. Draco was looking right at her, smiling.

"The strawberry blonde hair, the freckles," he explained. "I think ours will look like that."

"Hopefully they'd get my Quidditch skills," Ginny teased, recovering herself. This was new territory for them. They'd never talked about a future this way.

"And my sense of style," Draco countered.

"Hey! I have a sense of style!"

"If you count denim and a t-shirt every day as style," Draco said, laughing against her onslaught of light punches.

They laughed all the way to the cafeteria.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: Thank you for all of the lovely reviews over the last few chapters. They're so motivating! Please keep 'em coming!<p> 


	18. Dinner Guests

**Chapter 17: Dinner Guests  
><strong>

* * *

><p>It was lunchtime on Friday, and Ginny was sitting alone at one of the outside tables of a café in Diagon Alley. Ron and Hermione were meeting her for tea.<p>

"So, which of the two idiots do I need to kill?" Ron asked, tossing a copy of Witch Weekly onto the café table.

Ginny looked up and scowled. "Well, that _is_ the question of the moment," she replied, rolling her eyes and incinerating the glossy magazine with a flick of her wand.

Hermione smiled sympathetically and settled into a chair beside her. She was carrying a bag and a gigantic stack of papers, all of which she stowed under her seat. "Nice incineration spell," she said, hailing the waiter. "Two teas, please, cream and sugar." She pulled a small plastic-wrapped sandwich out of her bag. "You don't mind, do you? I only have twenty minutes for lunch today. Anyway, I'm glad to see you're taking all this tabloid nonsense in stride,"

As the waiter bustled away, Ron sank into the last chair at the table. "Well," Ginny answered, taking a sip of her half-finished mug, "I, like everyone else, absolutely cannot _wait_ to find out who fathered my first love-child."

Ron chuckled appreciatively. "They're making you look like a real slag, aren't they?" he said. "I think Charlie almost blew his top off when he read it. Floo'd me and all. I had to assure him that you not, in fact, pregnant." He narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously. "Are you?"

"Of course not, you twit," Ginny snapped.

It was Sunday, and that morning's Witch Weekly had printed the first photos from Harry and Ginny's entrance into St. Mungo's. Farther down in the article, they had included photographs taken when Draco had entered the hospital several minutes later. All of the tabloids were in a frenzy about what all three of them being at the hospital could mean. Witch Weekly's had gone with the headline "**GINNY WEASLEY PREGNANT, BUT IS IT POTTER'S OR MALFOY'S?**"

Ginny sighed. "It's getting ridiculous," she grumbled. "How am I supposed to get my students to take me seriously when I'm the current tart of Britain?"

"Just ignore it," Hermione insisted. "Trying to counter it will only lend it credibility. Act like you haven't read any of it."

Ron jerked a thumb in Hermione's direction. "Trust her. This one's got experience."

The waiter came back and set Ron and Hermione's drinks on the table.

"So change of subject," Ginny said, once he'd walked away. "Ron, how's training going?"

Ron took a swig of his tea and ran a hand through his hair, which was longer than Ginny had ever seen it. "Bloody brutal, that's how it's going," he sighed. "I've got the next few days off, but next week I don't even get a weekend break."

Hermione rubbed his back soothingly. "I am so glad I didn't sign up for that," she said.

Ginny laughed and Ron scowled. "Helpful, 'Mione!" he muttered. "Sheesh!"

"What! I'm glad I get to do my work and then go home at the end of the day and sleep like a normal human being."

"And I have this _gigantic _bruise on my side," Ron moaned.

"He does," Hermione confirmed, nodding solemnly. "It's quite horrible."

"So, wait," Ginny said, "How does it work? How long is training?"

"Well they have such a shortage right now that it's two months intensive training instead of the usual five."

"Is that safe?" Ginny asked, "They're not just sending you out in the field half-ready, are they?"

"No, but they're skipping some of the less relevant stuff. Trapping dangerous creatures, that kind of thing. They know exactly what they need us for: tracking down the remaining Death Eater cells. So that's what they're training us for."

Ginny nodded. "What about Danny Eckhart? Any news?"

Ron looked up at her sharply. "How do you know about that?"

"Harry told me. He's been getting updates from Shaklebolt."

Ron took another sip of his tea, shaking his head wearily. "No, no news. I should've known Harry would ask for updates though."

"What do you mean?"

"Well it's a tough case, and emotional for all of us. And stuff like this really gets to Harry, with his whole nobility complex and all. You know."

Ginny sighed and nodded. She did know, probably better than most.

"Hey, isn't that Malfoy?" Ron said suddenly, his gaze shifting to a point over Ginny's shoulder.

Ginny turned and just caught sight of Draco's blonde head disappear into a restaurant at the end of the street.

"Yeah," she said, "that's him." She turned back to her tea.

"Well…should we invite him over?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

"Nah," Ginny waved it off, trying to act nonchalant. "He's having lunch with Pansy. Best not bother them."

"Pansy Parkinson?" Ron asked, surprise evident in his voice. "Didn't know he was still friends with his old lot."

"He's not," Ginny said, "Just Pansy. They were pretty close at school."

She looked up to see Hermione regarding her with a curious expression on her face, and with some effort, Ginny plastered a wide grin onto her own. "Are you both coming to dinner tomorrow night?"

"Of course," Ron replied. "It's baby Vicky's first entrance into the crowded world that is the Weasley family. Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Hermione laughed, "How in Merlin's name are we going to all fit around that table once everyone else starts popping out babies?"

"Maybe you better start researching table extension spells," Ginny quipped.

Ten minutes later, Hermione sighed and glanced at her watch. "Well, this was lovely, but I've got to get back to work. There are an absolute mountain of cases coming in about Death Eaters who just really abused their elves during Voldemort's reign. Just absolutely dreadful stuff."

Ron made a face and stood. "Well, I'll go pay for all this at the till," he said, "Bye, love." He pecked Hermione on the cheek and headed over to the register.

Ginny stood and gave Hermione a quick hug. "You know," Hermione said lowly, adjusting her bag on her shoulder, "If Draco spending so much time with Pansy Parkinson is bothering you, you should talk to him about it."

Ginny looked at her quizzically. "It doesn't bother me," she said quickly.

Hermione gave her a skeptical look. "Ginny. I know how you act when you're feeling a tad jealous but you know you shouldn't so you try to brush it off. I was around when Harry like Cho in Fifth Year, remember?"

"It's really not like that," Ginny insisted, rolling her eyes. Hermione huffed a little, but patted her friend on the shoulder.

"If you say so," she said, "I'll see you tomorrow night."

"So," Ron said, weaving his way back to the table, "I'm hoping you have another hour or two before you have to get back to school."

Ginny glanced at her watch. "Yeah, I don't have another class until three."

"Great," Ron said, suddenly looking a lot pinker than usual.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "Why?" she said suspiciously, "What's this about? I swear to Merlin, Ron, if this is some kind of intervention, I will…."

"Calm down, calm down," Ron laughed, putting his hands up. "I just need you to help me with some shopping."

"What shopping?" Ginny asked, still wary.

Ron flushed a deeper pink and smiled michevously. "Ring shopping."

Ginny blinked, mind racing. Then, suddenly, she understood. "RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY!" she shouted, launching herself at her brother. People walking down the street turned to look at them, but Ron laughed aloud and caught her up in a big hug.

"You're proposing to Hermione! Ron! I'm so happy for you!"

Ron set her back on the ground and pulled away, grinning broadly. "Thanks, Gin," he said, "We're taking a trip to some beach…Bri something…that she used to go to when she was younger. Some muggle place. But I thought that might be a good place."

"Oh, Ron," Ginny said, beaming. "That sounds perfect. Mum is going to be so excited – can you even imagine!"

Ron laughed, sounding a little nervous. "I haven't quite thought that far ahead yet. I have to get the ring. And then propose. We have to see how that goes."

"Well of course she's going to say yes," Ginny scoffed. "Here, let's go. Do you have a shop in mind?"

After class that afternoon, Ginny went back to her room and threw a few things into her weekend bag. On her way off the grounds, she passed Harry in his classroom. She gave a quick wave. She considered going in and asking if he knew about Ron and Hermione, but glanced at her watch. It was already almost six o'clock, and she had promised Draco she would be home in time to help him cook dinner. "See you tomorrow night," she called brightly instead, and Harry grinned back.

Ring shopping with Ron had put her in a good mood, and Ginny smiled to herself as she made her way down the castle steps and over the grounds. She Apparated to the street outside their apartment. She and Ron had chosen a beautiful ring, a diamond in a pretty silver filigree. Hermione would love it.

* * *

><p>From the hall outside their apartment, Ginny smelled pasta cooking. "Gin, I'm desperate for help with the sauce," Draco said loudly as she came in. He was still in his nice slacks and button down from work, but he'd rolled the sleeves up to his elbows and was waving away the smoke coming off the pasta pot on the stove.<p>

Ginny dropped her bag to the floor and joined him. "Well, you've made a total mess of it," she decreed, looking down at the mixture of tomato paste and other ingredients he's haphazardly thrown together.

"I was depending on you to arrive and save me from folly," he said, standing behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "What would I do without you," he murmered, leaning around to kiss her softly on the temple.

"Well, you would have dry pasta, for one thing," Ginny said, smiling.

"Merlin forbid," Draco laughed.

"Ron, Hermione, and I saw you in Diagon Alley today," Ginny said as she began to stir her new sauce. "Here, pass me the salt, will you?"

"Oh, did you?" Draco said easily. "I was having lunch with Pansy at that new restaurant."

"How was it?" Ginny asked, tasting a small bit of sauce with the tip of her finger and nodding. She got out another pot and poured the sauce into it, turning up the stove with a quick flick of her wand.

"All right. It had kind of a limited selection of dishes, actually…."

"No," Ginny interrupted, "I mean, Pansy. How was she?"

"She's all right as well," Draco said shortly. He didn't seem to be planning on elaborating, and Ginny thought of what Hermione had said to her earlier. Maybe she ought to just ask him why he always seemed so quiet about Pansy. He never brought her up, and he always answered questions about her with short responses. She shook herself. He was allowed to have his own friends, of course, and she didn't want to sound accusatory. He was being much better about her spending so much time with Harry, after all.

"That's good," she said finally. "Maybe we should invite her over for dinner sometime?" she added on a whim. She instantly regretted saying it. She and Pansy probably wouldn't get along.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Draco replied. Again, he didn't elaborate. She swallowed her response and turned back to the food.

The pasta was bubbling by now, and with a swift arc of her wand, Ginny drained it into a large bowl. "Can you set the table?" she asked.

Draco nodded. "And I'll get the salad. _That_, I can do," he said, grinning brightly at her. He got the packet of pasta out of the refrigerator and emptied it into a big bowl. Ginny laughed.

"Oh!" Ginny said when they were sitting over their meal. Ginny's legs were swung up onto Draco's lap under the table and she prodded him with her toe. "Guess what I helped Ron with today!"

"Helped him pick a proper Quidditch team to support?" Draco quipped.

"No," Ginny said sternly, although she had to smother a snort. "I helped him pick out a wedding ring! He's proposing to Hermione in a few weeks when they go on holiday together!"

"Is he really?" Draco said, grinning genuinely. "Although, I can't say I'm thrilled about the prospect of your brother's buffoonery and Granger's know-it-all tendencies combining in their offspring."

"Stop teasing," Ginny said, grinning. "Be happy for them!"

"I _am_ happy for them," Draco said, laughingly. "It'll have been a long time coming. Even I could see Granger was pining after your git of a brother at school."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yeah, he was rather dim, wasn't he?"

Draco raised his glass mockingly. "Understatement of the year. Your mum is going to have a heart attack when she finds out."

"Oh, definitely," Ginny agreed, "You should have seen her when Bill and Fleur were getting married. You think you've seen her in a frenzy."

Draco grinned and swirled his pasta around his fork thoughtfully. "Do you think we ought to get married eventually?" he said suddenly.

Ginny nearly choked on her wine and had to recover herself. When she looked up, Draco was looking at her amusedly. "That shocking?" he smirked. "It's not a proposal, you know. I'm a little more romantic than that, I think."

"Well you kind of caught me off guard there, Malfoy," Ginny managed. "Where did that come from?"

Draco shrugged. "Oh, you know, babies and weddings cropping up all around us…and that's generally what people do after they've been dating for years. They get married."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know that," she said, "But I like to think that when I get married it won't be because everyone around me is doing it."

Draco looked at her, considering. "That's not the only reason I mention it," he said, and now his voice was serious. Ginny felt her breath catch in her throat. He wasn't joking around. She met his gaze. "I do want to marry you, you know."

She swallowed. "I know."

"Do you want to marry me someday?"

Ginny smiled. "Yeah," she said honestly.

"Good." Draco stood and grinning brightly, began to clear the table. "Well that answers my question then. We ought to get married." His plate and glass in hand, he came around the table and kissed her on the cheek. "Eventually."

* * *

><p>The spent most of the next morning in bed, and the afternoon passed quickly in lunch and a movie. Soon enough it was time for the Weasley dinner.<p>

"Oh, I almost forgot," Draco said, "I got this. For the baby. Can you do the wrapping spell? You're much neater with it than I am." He tossed her two black objects, attached to each other by a string, and Ginny caught them mid-air. Upon closer inspection, Ginny found that they were two tiny shoes – patent leather mary-janes – and absolutely adorable.

"They're completely ridiculous, and she'll grow out of them in a week," Draco continued, running water over his comb and raking it through his hair.

"They're nauseatingly cute!" Ginny said, beaming, "Where did you get them?"

"There's a shop right by Gringotts, and I saw them in the window. I figured we should get Bill and Fleur a congratulatory gift."

Ginny went up beside him and kissed him. "Very thoughtful," she smiled.

They arrived at the Burrow at five ten. Most everyone was already there – Bill, Fleur, and the baby, Percy, Charlie, and the twins – and Ginny immediately went to the kitchen to help her mum with the last preparations for dinner.

"I hope the tabloids haven't been too embarrassing, mum," she said, taking the plate of potatoes her mum proffered her and lightly garnishing it. Outside in the living room she heard Ron and Hermione arrive. Ron barrelled into the kitchen and kissed their mum on the cheek, handing over a bottle of wine. He gave Ginny a quick wink as he retreated back into the living room.

Her mum smiled indulgently and patted her on the shoulder. "I'll admit that I'm not particularly fond of them, but that's got nothing to do with you dear," she replied lightly. "Anyway," she added, "I've been so busy knitting for little Vicky that I've hardly noticed."

"What have you been knitting?" Ginny asked as they carried the platters of food out to the table.

"Oh, socks and little mittens and hats and jackets and the like," Mrs. Weasley beamed. "All the same types of things I knitted for you when you were a baby, dear."

Ginny heard the front door open again and glanced up quickly to see Harry walked through, looking uncharacteristically sheepish. "Hullo, Harry!" Charlie cried. "Wait a second, who's this?" he added good-naturedly.

Ginny's head snapped up again just as a pretty long-haired girl followed Harry into the house.

"Everyone, this is Helena. Helena, this is everyone," Harry said, putting a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder. She smiled and gave a little nervous wave.

Ginny was surprised by her own shock. Somehow, for the past few weeks, she had truly wanted Harry to move on, but she had never really thought about what that would look like. Apparently, it looked like Helena. She was quite tall and thin, with straight brown hair flowing down her back and big, blue eyes. She was very pretty.

The dinner passed quickly enough, with Bill and Fleur reporting on their early days as parents and exclaiming over the little shoes that Draco presented. The whole family was cheerful and boisterous, and Ginny smiled a little everytime she saw Harry burst into laughter at something Helena had said. She could get used to this, she decided. She was glad he was dating someone new. It was good for him.

* * *

><p>"It's great that Harry's dating someone now, isn't it?" she said when she and Hermione were washing the dishes after dinner.<p>

Hermione smiled. "Yeah, I think they met in the twins' joke shop, actually. If they end up married, it'll be the only productive and non-mischevous thing that shop ever accomplished."

Ginny laughed. "I'm just surprised he didn't mention it, actually."

"Well," Hermione replied, "I think he's a bit wary about it. It's tough for him, you know, trying to date when he's famous and all that. He's very cautious."

Ginny nodded. "And anyway," Hermione continued, "it's very new. They've only been dating for a week."

"Well, I'm glad," Ginny replied decidedly. "I'm surprised it took him so long to ask someone out. There must be hundreds of witches sending him love letters every day."

Hermione cocked her head curiously at her. "What?" Ginny asked.

The older girl gave a strange half-smile. "No, nothing," she said.

Ginny shrugged and smiled to herself. Everything was turning out all right after all.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: That was a quick update, right? I hope you liked this chapter. I know things are moving rather slowly in the drama department, but things are going to come to a head in about two chapters, so hang in there through the filler. Trust me – there are big blow-ups in the future. In the meantime, please review!


	19. When We Were Happy

**Chapter 18: When We Were Happy  
><strong>

Time passed quickly, and soon it was the week before the Christmas holidays. Ginny sighed contentedly at the prospect of two weeks of uninterrupted time with Draco. She glanced up over the foot-high stack of papers before her and surveyed the room. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor third-years were bent over their desks, scribbling frantically. They were taking their midterm exams, and she was on the lookout for cheating quills. She had placed a charm on the exams that was meant to recognize the use of such tools, but McGonagall had warned her that she could never be too careful.

Ginny turned back to her papers. She flipped back through the assignment she was grading and totaled the score, circling the number in red ink at the top of the first page.

_Tap tap tap!_ Ginny's head snapped up. A second-year stood at the door, knocking softly on the doorframe and holding out a scrap of parchment. She walked over to take it.

_Dueling practice at 4? I have class until then. – H_

Ginny grinned. She'd almost forgotten that she would be helping Harry demonstrate for his inter-house competition. She scratched a response on the back of the note and handed it to the second-year, who scurried away.

_Perfect. I'll come by your classroom. Prepare to have your bum kicked. – G_

At four, Ginny collected the exams in a big pile on her desk. "Congratulations on completing your midterms!" she said cheerfully as the third-years gathered their bags. "No homework tonight, of course." There was a whoop of appreciation, and Ginny smiled. The term had been going exceptionally well. She had the occasional problem with tardiness on assignments, and of course she had to incinerate a contraband copy of Witch Weekly about twice a week, but other than that….

Swinging her bag over her shoulder and heaving the stack of exams into the crook of her arm, she followed her students from the room, locking the door behind her. Harry's classroom was two floors down. When she arrived, Harry was just finishing up class. His students, seventh-years by the looks of them, were filtering out of the classroom. She stood just outside the door to let them out into the hall.

"Professor Potter, can I ask you a quick question about the assignment that's due at the end of the week?" Ginny watched a girl she didn't recognize – she must not have continued with upper-level Charms – approach Harry's desk, smiling brightly and batting her eyelashes. Ginny smirked amusedly.

"I just don't really understand what you're asking here, in the second question," the girl said, holding out a page of parchment and leaning over quite unnecessarily so that her cleavage was in full view. Ginny had to suppress a snort. The girl was trying awfully hard. But Harry didn't even seem to notice. She saw him take a small step back to put some distance between himself and the girl, but he answered seriously.

"Well, Miss Ingram, I think it's pretty self-explanatory. I want you to think, really think, about what your happiest memory is. Try to write down as many details as you can. It'll be important when we start working on the Patronus Charm after the holidays."

The girl looked a little disappointed that her antics didn't seem to be having much effect, but she persevered. "I'm having trouble figuring out which memory to use," she said, pulling her long blonde hair around her shoulder and smiling sweetly. "Maybe I could tell you some of my ideas and you could help me pick one?"

Harry's brow furrowed, and Ginny decided to step in. This had gone on long enough. "Unfortunately," she said, smiling widely and stepping into the classroom, "Professor Potter and I have a date this afternoon." She held the scrap of parchment up between two fingers to illustrate her point.

The girl scowled momentarily, then recovered herself. "All right, well maybe some other time. Thanks, Professor. Have a good night." She smiled, tossed her hair back over her shoulder, and pranced from the room. She joined the group of her friends that were waiting for her in the hall, and the sound of them giggling loudly filtered into the classroom before Ginny shut the door firmly.

"You shouldn't have phrased it that way," Harry said, his voice surprisingly serious. Ginny watched his expression as he drew his wand and, waving it wordlessly, rearranged the desks to make a long, narrow dueling court. His brow was furrowed and he was concentrating just a little too much on everything. Something was wrong.

"What way?" she answered carefully, depositing her bag on the floor and shrugging out of her sweater. Convenient that she'd worn jeans and a tank top today.

"That we have a date. They'll probably go prattling to the Prophet now."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Well we're already having sordid sex all over Hogwarts," she grumbled.

"And you're pregnant with my child," Harry added, laughing mirthlessly.

"And I think I've had about five secret marriages in the past month."

"You should really check up on that. I don't think that's legal."

"Well you know me," Ginny said, grinning and hoping she could get him to smile, "I like to live on the edge." Nothing. He was very upset about something.

He was pulling off his own sweater and re-adjusting the t-shirt beneath. "Is everything all right with Helena?" Ginny asked tentatively. Harry had brought his new girlfriend to two more Weasley family dinners over the past few weeks. They had seemed happy, but maybe….

Harry shrugged. "Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" he said, walking over to his end of the dueling court.

"No reason," Ginny said, twisting her hair up into a ponytail as she made her way to her own end.

"Ready?" Harry said, twirling his wand between his fingers expertly. Ginny sighed. He didn't want to talk about it. She shrugged. Maybe the duel would help him vent his frustration.

She nodded, and Harry looked right at her, a determined set to his face, before shooting a surprisingly strong stunner straight at her chest. She raised her wand to block it just in time, but the force of it made her stumble back a little. He was serious about this. Shaking herself, she lifted her own wand. She needed to concentrate.

With a minute flick of her wrist she sent a jinx flying his way, which he dodged to avoid. He sent another stunner, stronger this time, and blocking it nearly forced her off her feet. "Bloody hell," she muttered, steeling herself. He was venting alright.

In minutes they were sending curses hurtling across the length of the room, and Ginny's heart was pounding powerfully in her chest as they ducked and twisted to avoid the blows. Harry still had that determined gleam in his eyes; he was sending spell after spell flying her way without taking his eyes off her.

As the minutes passed, Ginny became less and less amused. This wasn't the friendly game she'd been expecting. Something was bothering him, and he was venting his anger in a very physical way. He wasn't out to hurt her, she knew that. If Harry Potter had wanted to injure her, he could have done it easily. She didn't have too much pride to admit it. But she was getting tired letting him take out his anger in their duel without knowing the reason for it. Finally, as she dodged a curse that cracked loudly against the wall behind her, she yelled, "Enough!" He stopped the downward arc of his arm so immediately that Ginny realized he had actually been in a complete control of himself the entire time.

"All right," she huffed, "What's wrong, Harry? Spit it out."

Harry ran an agitated hand through his hair. He was flushed, and his skin was covered in a sheen of sweat. "Nothing's wrong," he growled, flicking his wand. Two water bottles flew out of the cabinet behind his desk, and he tossed one to her.

"Bullshit," she said, grabbing it with one hand but not taking her eyes off him. "You're angry about something. I'm happy to let you duel out the aggression, but I want to know what I'm dealing with here."

"I'm not angry," Harry insisted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I thought we were _supposed_ to be dueling here."

Ginny sighed and raised her eyebrows at him. "Are you really going to try that with me, Potter? I think I know you a little too well."

Harry held her gaze for a full five seconds, his green eyes defiant. Then he exhaled sharply and walked straight to his desk, pulling out a piece of parchment from the top drawer. He held it out to her and sank into one of the student desks as she unfolded it. It was from Ron.

_Hey mate,_

_SHE SAID YES! You knew she would, of course, and so did Gin, but bloody hell was I nervous when the time came. I'll tell you all about it on Friday. Don't say anything to the family yet (only Ginny knows) – we're gonna tell them when we're all together for Christmas dinner._

Ginny looked up, beaming. "But, Harry, this is wonderful news, isn't it!"

Harry smiled tightly. "Of course, it's not that…keep reading." Ginny turned her gaze back to the page.

_But fair warning, mate – I want to tell you this before Kingsley sends you his update. You're not going to like it, so you'd best sit down. They found a finger, with a note attached. Medical examiner said it was cut off no more than two days ago. It made all the usual demands – they want Kingsley to step down, they want you dead, one of theirs in power – all that. Parents are distraught, of course, but remember – __this is actually a good thing__. It means they have demands, and they haven't killed him yet. He's still alive._

_Don't do anything rash. You're the best man at my wedding – I need you alive and in possession of all your limbs for that!_

_See you at the end of the week,_

_Ron_

Ginny dropped the paper to the desk. "Oh, Harry, Ron's right. It means he's still alive."

"As of two days ago," Harry said harshly, "And they're torturing him."

"No, it doesn't mean that…," Ginny insisted.

"They cut off one of his fingers, Ginny!"

"To make a statement. They're not torturing him regularly. He's their only bargaining chip."

"Great. A seven-year-old boy is the bargaining chip of a bunch of dark wizards. Am I supposed to be happy about that?" he snapped.

"Of course not!" Ginny snapped back. "But getting angry about it isn't going to help."

"That's right," Harry said, barking out a mirthless laugh, "Nothing I'm doing is going to help."

Ginny fell silent. So that was it. He was blaming himself. Maybe he thought that if he had just joined the Aurors, he could have saved the boy? Maybe he was even thinking he should give himself up so Danny could go home? Did he truly believe that he hadn't done enough for them all? Ginny sighed. She should have known – Harry always thought everyone else's suffering was his fault.

"Come on," she said, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him out of his chair.

"I'm not really in the mood for an adventure, Gin," Harry sighed, but he let her lead him from the room.

"Just shut up and come on, will you? Bloody hell," she muttered, guiding him to the staircase.

They went up and up and up. Ginny led him through the door at the top of the turret – the highest point of the Astronomy Tower. The sun was setting at the horizon – the days had gotten so short – and the Forbidden Forest was swathed in shadows. On the Quidditch pitch below them, some team (she thought she could make out the Hufflepuff colors on the darting blurs) was practicing. They could hear the yells and whoops of delight filtering up from the pitch. And off in the distance, Hogsmeade was bathed in the warm golden light of early evening. They could see the tiny shape of the last of the day's shoppers milling around the streets.

Harry was silent beside her, looking out at the view and breathing deeply.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she said softly, taking his hand in hers.

"Yeah," Harry replied quietly, intertwining their fingers. "It really is."

Ginny leaned her other elbow on the stone rampart, leaning forward and resting her head on her hand. "You know," she said, not looking at him, "There was no Quidditch here while you were gone. They used the pitch for public punishments whenever students stepped out of line. That's why my mum didn't send me back. Too dangerous." She heard Harry's sharp intake of breath beside her.

"And Hogsmeade," she continued, "Death Eaters everywhere. The shops all closed early and no one went out after dark."

"Why are you telling me this, Gin?" Harry asked. She turned to look at him. She glared at him, holding his bright green eyes with her deep brown ones.

"Because look at it now," she said seriously. "It's beautiful now because of you, Harry, and what you did. So don't you dare – _don't you dare_ – tell yourself that you haven't done enough."

Ginny watched him open his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "Just look. Don't say anything." He swallowed and turned his gaze back out to the view before them.

They stood there for an hour, watching the sky darken by degrees and the sounds of the night fill the air around them. The lights of Hogsmeade flicked on until the town was a patch of glowing yellow in the landscape. Quidditch practice finished up, and the students retreated, giggling and talking loudly, back to the castle.

Finally, Harry gripped her hand and squeezed.

Ginny turned and smiled at him. He was looking at her with the strangest expression on his face. She sucked in a breath. For a moment, she thought he was going to lean in and kiss her, and she felt panic rise in her chest. She didn't want him to ruin everything.

But he just smiled. "Let's go, dinner will be over soon," he said.

She grinned and started back down the stairs. "Gin," he added suddenly. She turned back to him. "Thank you," he said.

"For what?" she said.

He shrugged. "Somehow, you always know what I need to hear. You always have."

"No problem," she said, waving it off. "But I swear to Merlin, Harry Potter, if you pull any of that I-haven't-done-enough crap with me again, I will hex you from here to the Burrow."

Harry laughed, a real, full laugh this time. "You did almost get a few hexes in earlier."

"I went easy on you," she teased.

Harry snorted. "Just keep telling yourself that, Weasley."

* * *

><p>Christmas morning dawned bright; the sunlight shimmered off the snow that had fallen lightly throughout the night. Ginny stretched lazily, rolling in bed and savoring the feeling of her new silk slip on her skin. It was a creamy color – not too white to make her skin look paler than it already was. It had been a present from Draco for Christmas; they had exchanged gifts last night, knowing that there wouldn't be much time for privacy in the frenzy of Christmas at the Burrow. She had gotten him a new set of business cards and gilt holder in honor of his promotion at Gringotts. He was climbing the ranks faster than anyone had expected.<p>

"Happy Christmas to me," Draco said, turning over and gathering her close to him. He ran a hand up her thigh, pushing the light fabric up her leg. She smiled, rolling them so that she was sitting upright, straddling his waist. She raked a hand through her messy hair.

"None of that, mister," she said, her voice mockingly stern. "You know we have to be at the Burrow by noon."

Draco groaned, reaching up to take her hands. He intertwined their fingers and pouted pleadingly. Ginny smirked. "I have you wrapped around my little finger, don't I?" she teased, leaning down to kiss him on the cheek.

He turned his head to capture her lips in a full kiss. "Yes, and I hate you for it," he grumbled.

She giggled and swung her leg over him, turning away from the bed and padding to the shower.

At dinner, they sat down at the end of the table across from Ron, Hermione, and Harry. Hermione looked exhausted, but Ginny noticed that she kept fiddling with the ring finger on her left hand and smiling to herself. There was nothing visibly there, but Hermione had always been good at glamour charms.

"You look tired, Hermione," Harry said when the family had broken off into little conversations around the table. "Is something wrong at work?"

Hermione let out a huffy sigh. "Well they cut funding to my department. They need the money for other departments during the rebuilding," she said. "We were going to hire five more caseworkers, but now that's impossible, so we all have more on our plates than we ought to." She punctuated this last statement by viciously stabbing a potato with her fork.

"And I wouldn't mind that," she said, "You all know I don't mind lots of work, except this is all happening at a time when there are more cases of house elf and other magical creature abuse than ever! I just can't give them all the attention that I should!" She let out another huff and Ron reached over to rub her back.

"So overall nothing wrong, then?" Harry said, trying tentatively for humor. Ron glared at him, and he fell silent. Ginny looked at him sympathetically.

"How much has your funding been cut?" Draco asked nonchalantly.

"Five hundred thousand Galleons annually."

Draco nodded slowly, and Ginny could see the cogs whirring in his mind. What was he up to?

"My father's been making charitable donations to a variety of funds," he said, almost as if he was changing the subject. "He's trying to rebuild the Malfoy reputation."

Ginny saw Hermione stiffen across the table, and she suddenly understood. She turned to Draco, eyes wide. "So three million would keep your department going with new caseworkers for another six years. That should get you through the rebuilding process until the Ministry can afford to raise your budget again, don't you think?"

"Malfoy…," Hermione said, voice low, "Are you offering what I think you're offering?"

"Your father's going to drop three million Galleons just like that?" Ron said, shock evident on his face.

"I'll speak with him," Draco said.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Malfoy," Ron said warningly, looking nervously at Hermione openly hopeful expression.

Draco met his eyes. "Malfoys never break promises," he said seriously, and Ginny remembered the first time, all those years ago, when he'd said that to her.

Hermione swallowed, a wide smile forming on her face. "Thank you," she said.

Draco smiled at her. "It's for a good cause," he said.

Ginny took his hand under the table and squeezed it. He was wonderful.

* * *

><p>After dinner, the whole family retreated to the sitting room to lounge for the remainder of the evening.<p>

"I definitely ate too much," Fred groaned, leaning back and rubbing his bloated belly.

"It was the dessert," Bill chimed in. "I was fine until the dessert." He turned to his daughter, who was dressed in an adorable green and red dress and her patent leather shoes. There was a little bow in her hair and she gurgled happily as her father leaned over her. "And Victoire liked the dessert too, didn't she?" he said in a high baby voice. Ginny grinned; her brother had melted into a sentimental blob ever since becoming a father.

Ron cleared his throat awkwardly and Ginny's smile widened. This was it; he was going to make the announcement. She tried to keep her facial expression neutral. Beside her, Draco squeezed her hand. She squeezed back.

"Well," Ron said slowly, "Hermione and I have an announcement to make." Everyone fell completely silent, and Ginny watched the blood rise in her mother's cheeks in preparation for an eruption of joy.

"Yes, Ron?" Mrs. Weasley prodded shakily.

Ron stood and pulled a beaming Hermione up beside him. "Well…."

"Come on, Ronniekins," Charlie said, grinning in anticipation.

"We're engaged!" Ron finished, and the room erupted in shouts and cheers. Ginny held back as the other members of her family engulfed Ron in a huge group hug. She glanced over to Harry, who was grinning broadly. She realized he hadn't brought Helena aroudn this time. He caught her eye and winked.

"Wait, wait!" Hermione was yelling over the hubbub. "We have another piece of news. All three of us."

The family backed away a little to give her room to speak. She gestured to Harry, who stood awkwardly to join them in the announcement. Ginny cocked her head at him, but he just smiled.

"The three of us," Hermione said slowly, "Have been awarded the Order of Merlin, First Class!"

The happy shock hit Ginny like a physical wave. "What!" George was yelling. "Why didn't you tell us sooner!"

"Well, you three, this is wonderful!" Mrs. Weasley said, dissolving into tears from all the emotion. Mr. Weasley put his arms around her.

"The awards ball is this upcoming Thursday," Ron said, "It's formal dress, and of course if any of you can't make it, I'll hex you."

Ginny stood and went to give them all congratulatory hugs. When she got to Harry, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He wrapped an arm around her lower back. "You should have told me sooner, you prat," she chided him. As she pulled away, she caught Ron looking at them, brow furrowed, and she was reminded of Hermione's strange look from a few weeks before. What was going on with everyone?

* * *

><p>They left at eleven in the evening, and Apparated into the center of the park near their apartment. The snow was powdery on the ground, and Ginny stumbled a little when her boot sank into a particularly high pile. Draco steadied her and pulled her up against him.<p>

She laughed and kissed him on the tip of the nose. "This has been a lovely Christmas," she said softly. He nodded, smiling.

They started walking arm in arm through the park, but when they came to a little hillock, Ginny slipped again against the side of it. She grabbed onto Draco's arm, but he couldn't keep them upright, and they tumbled laughing to the ground.

"We need to get you new boots, Gin," Draco grumbled.

"Oh, these are fine," Ginny replied, laying her head down so that she was spreadeagled on the snow. She looked up through the line of trees that ringed the park; the sky was clear and the stars twinkled cheerfully above them.

"Not if you don't want to twist an ankle," he said wryly.

They were silent for a moment; she studied the stars, and out of the corner of her eye, she could see him studying her.

"You look beautiful," he said suddenly, reaching over to twist a piece of red hair around his finger. "All your hair sprayed out on the white snow. Very artistic."

"Mmm, thank you," Ginny said, grinning.

He lay down beside her, and she clasped his hand.

"I can't believe you did that for Hermione," she said softly, turning to look at him.

"It's a good investment for my father. Charity is good for the Malfoy reputation at this point," he said, waving it away like it was nothing.

"No," Ginny said seriously, "It was really wonderful of you, Draco."

"It wasn't anything to do with me," he said, "My father's the one who'll be donating the money."

Ginny smiled and leaned over to kiss him deeply. She held his gaze. "You're better than you give yourself credit for, Draco Malfoy. Don't ever forget that."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Review, please! The next chapter will be the Order of Merlin ball, and things are going to really start coming to a head. So I hope you savored this last moment of calm :) Much love, mugglehugger.


	20. Last Dance

**Chapter 19: Last Dance**

* * *

><p>"Are you almost ready, Draco?" Ginny called from the bedroom. She turned back to the mirror and twisted her hair into a knot at the back of her head. She secured it with one of the gilt hairclips that Bill and Fleur had given her for her seventeenth birthday and reached for her wand to magic the tendrils into soft curls around her face.<p>

"Yeah, just about!" Draco called from the bathroom. She heard him turn off the spray of the shower.

Ginny went to the closet and pulled out her dress, still wrapped in plastic from when she'd bought it a few days ago. Hermione had taken her to some Muggle shops that stocked racks upon racks of gowns. Ginny had gotten the distinct feeling that Hermione was doing some preliminary scouting for wedding dresses. The thought made her smile.

"So that's the dress, is it?" Ginny turned to see Draco, towel wrapped around his waist, in the doorway. He moved to the closet and began putting on his dress robes.

"It is, indeed," she replied, pulling it from the plastic and stepping into it. She admired the cut and color in the mirror as she pulled it over her shoulders. It was probably her favorite of all the dresses she'd ever purchased – a beautiful emerald green satin, it hung from her shoulders by thin ribbon straps, hugged her torso tightly, and fell straight to the floor. It was very flattering on her body, and the color contrasted strikingly with her hair. The sight of the extremely low cut of the back made her gulp a little, but just as the thought entered her mind that maybe she ought to wear a shrug or cardigan or something, Draco came up behind her and ran his hand all the way down her exposed spine. She shivered at his touch and looked up to see him fully dressed behind her.

"Mmm, I like it on you. Very sexy," he whispered in her ear. "And my favorite color." Ginny suppressed an ironic chuckle. Draco had always had a thing for green – Slytherin colors, she supposed, but Hermione had said the dress was the exact color of Harry's eyes. "Though," he said speculatively, "Isn't it a little scandalous for an official Ministry function?"

"Only the back," she said, smiling wryly and shrugging. "And anyway," she added sarcastically, "I have no doubt that our picture will be plastered across every gossip magazine in the country tomorrow. I might as well look good."

"That you do," Draco agreed, reaching around her to smooth the satin down around her hips and nodding appreciatively.

"It's really too bad we couldn't bar the press from this thing," Ginny grumbled, slipping on her heels and tossing her keys, wand, and lipstick into a thin black clutch.

Draco laughed. "What's the point of giving out awards if nobody knows about it?"

Ginny scowled. They heard a honk from below. "That must be the Ministry car," she said. "Are you ready?" She looked him over and grinned widely. "Impeccable, as always," she said, patting his lapel.

"That's why you love me," Draco quipped cheekily, leaning down to kiss her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, but pulled away a little when his hand traveled down her back and kept going. "Whoa there, Malfoy, don't you think that's a little far south?" she teased.

"You're right," he smirked, "I should save it for the dance floor."

Ginny chuckled. "Now _that_ would be too scandalous for an official Ministry event."

* * *

><p>The sleek, black Ministry car whirled them through the streets at a near-impossible speed and they arrived at their destination within minutes. The ball was being held at some sort of art gallery, and as they pulled up right in front of a long red carpet that led to the entrance, Ginny wondered at the number of concealment charms that must have gone into making the event invisible to the Muggle eye. The path to the entrance was lined with photographers and reporters (the unfortunate ones who hadn't been invited to cover the event itself), and there was a frenzied clamor as Ginny and Draco got out of the car and followed the trail of other guests into the building.<p>

"Draco! Ginny! How is Harry going to feel about you being here together!"

"Ginny! Don't you think you should be less blatant about your cheating?"

"Ginny! Whose baby is it!"

Ginny set her facial expression into a stiff smile and gripped Draco's hand tightly, practically dragging him along the red carpet.

"Hey, hey, hey," Draco said, brow furrowed with concern. "Is this bothering you?"

Ginny scowled. "Isn't it bothering you?" she grumbled, "Let's go."

"No," Draco said firmly, "If it's bothering you, then enough is enough." He pulled them to an abrupt stop and turned to face the reporters and their frantically snapping and flashing cameras head-on. "To answer your questions," he said easily, looking for all the world as if he issued statements to the press all the time, "Ginny Weasley is not pregnant with anyone's baby. She and Harry Potter are close friends, nothing more. She is in an exclusive romantic relationship with _me_, and has been for years. Now please allow us to celebrate the contributions that Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger have made to the wizarding world. Thank you very much."

And with that, he put his arm nonchalantly around Ginny's waist and turned away.

Ginny grinned up at him. "Bold, Malfoy." He smiled and gave her a cheeky wink.

The press erupted behind them.

"How does the Weasley family feel about your family background!"

"How do you explain the incriminating photographs of Ginny with Mr. Potter!"

"Draco, are you and Ginny engaged!" one reporter yelled over the fray.

Draco paused at that. He turned and shot them one of his trademark smirks. "Not yet."

* * *

><p>Inside, the ballroom was brimming with people, all dressed in their finest gowns and dress robes. Waiters were circulating the room carrying silver trays of hors d'oeuvres and long-stemmed glasses of champagne. Dozens of round tables ringed the dance floor, and there was a stage and podium at the very front of the room.<p>

"Ginny! Draco!" Ginny turned to see Hermione waving to them from the center-front table. She was wearing a pale pink dress and had managed to tame her hair into smooth ringlets. Harry and Ron were standing nearby, talking to a small group of Ministry officials, but they turned and excused themselves when they saw Ginny and Draco coming toward them.

"Hermione, you look beautiful, as always" Ginny said, giving her a quick hug. Hermione and Draco shook hands.

"So do you!" Hermione beamed. "I knew we picked the right dress."

"Harry, Ron," Draco was saying, nodding to them. "This is quite an event."

"Yeah," Ron said, grinning broadly. "The appetizers are fantastic, by the way. Especially the shrimp cocktail thingies."

"As Ron knows, the real measure of an event's success is its food options," Harry said good-naturedly.

"Do you have to give speeches?" Ginny asked.

"Just a few words when we accept the award," Hermione said.

"And where are we sitting?" Draco said, his quick eyes tracking Kingsley Shacklebolt moving toward the front of the room.

As if on cue, the Minister of Magic reached the podium, cast a quick spell, and his magically-enhanced voice filled the room. "Thank you all for being here tonight. We would like to start the ceremony shortly, so if you would please begin moving to your seats."

"Right next to us, at that table," Ron said, gesturing to the next table. Bill and Fleur were already seated at the far end with Victoire. Andromeda Tonks, who was obviously here with Remus, Tonks, and Teddy, was cooing over the baby.

"Sorry we couldn't get you at our table," Harry said quickly from beside her, and Ginny cocked her head confusedly at him. She hadn't been expecting to sit with them in any case. "But we've got your parents, Hermione's parents, Remus, Tonks, and a few other Ministry people with us. The rest of your brothers are with you, though."

"That's great, Harry," Ginny replied, "I'm sure it'll be lovely."

As they all started moving to their seats, Harry put a hand on Ginny's shoulder to hold her back for a moment. "I'm glad you're here," he said quietly.

Ginny smiled. "I'm glad to be here too." As she went to take her place beside Draco at the next table, Ginny saw Ron narrow his eyes at her and she frowned.

"Thank you again for your presence this evening," Minister Shacklebolt said, his deep voice booming. "First and foremost, I would like to introduce the distinguished individuals who will be helping me bestow the Order of Merlin, First Class, tonight. Would those people please come up to the stage?" Ginny watched as three elderly Ministry officials took their places on stage, and as Kingsley introduced them, she let her eyes wander around the ballroom.

All of the usual suspects were here – Ministry officials, important bankers that Ginny recognized from the papers, the entirety of the Order of the Pheonix. But there were also quite a few old Slytherin families here. Ginny's eyes landed on Lucius Malfoy. He looked rather pale and drawn, and Ginny was surprised that Draco hadn't mentioned his father would be here. She also noticed Pansy Parkinson sitting at a table near the back with an older man and woman that Ginny could only assume were her parents.

Ginny nudged Draco, who leaned down so she could whisper quietly in his ear. "I didn't know your father was coming."

Draco looked over her shoulder to where Lucius was sitting. "Yeah," he said back in an undertone, "A lot of the old Pureblood families came. They want to be seen supporting what Potter, Granger, and your brother did and the new regime. It's a smart move, actually."

"Mmm," Ginny said thoughtfully, turning back to the stage.

Minister Shacklebolt made a rousing speech about the importance of the Order of Merlin, First Class, and about the lifelong battle that the Trio had waged against the evils of Voldemort's regime. Ginny smiled widely and stood with the rest of the attendees as Harry, Ron, and Hermione were invited amidst loud cheers, hollers, and camera flashes to the stage. The three of them were grinning, and Ron clapped Harry on the back and ushered him forward to say the first words.

"Thank you," Harry said awkwardly, and Ginny felt a surge of affection for the boy who was still embarrassed by attention. "This is an incredible honor, but I can't in good conscious accept it without acknowledging the contributions and sacrifices that so many others have made in the course of this war. To all of you, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. This is your honor as much as mine." He smiled crookedly and backed away from the podium.

The room erupted in cheers, and Ginny clapped just as vigorously as everyone else, happy tears filling her eyes. She felt, more than ever, the significance of what had been accomplished in the past few years.

Several minutes later, after the concluding speeches had been made, the Minister announced the beginning of dinner and dancing. Immediately, a dozen or so platters heaping with food appeared on each table, and a live band took their places on stage. As music filled the room, Ginny turned back to the group before her. Lupin and Tonks had brought Teddy over to his grandmother so that they could circulate the room, and the little boy was busy poking and prodding baby Victoire.

"Gentle, Teddy, gentle," Fleur was saying, laughing a tinkling laugh as Teddy pinched Victoire's cheeks.

"She's so boooring," Teddy huffed. "Why won't she do anything fun?"

"She will," Bill soothed, "You just have to give her time to get bigger."

"So booooring," Teddy mumbled again, and Ginny laughed, starting in on some of the food.

"So, Draco," Bill said, "Congratulations on your promotion! How's it going?"

Draco smiled. "Really well, actually."

"Wow, you're moving up pretty quickly," Charlie said.

"He's got a real sense for investments, this one," Bill said. Draco bowed his head to the praise.

"Speaking of successful investments," Draco said, turning to the twins, "I heard the shop's up and running again?"

"Yeah, we opened it up again two weeks ago, and we've been selling practically non-stop since then. We're thinking about hiring some house elves to help us with the stocking – we hardly have enough product to satisfy demand!" George said excitedly.

"You two better keep me up to date on your latest stuff," Ginny said, narrowing her eyes at them. "I need to know what I'm up against at school."

"Never, my dear Ginniekins," Fred said, patting her sympathetically on the back, "You're the enemy now. We can never share our trade secrets with you again."

Ginny sighed theatrically. "I guess that's what I get for going over to the other side."

"You've put us in the horrible position of providing our customers with the means to bring down our own sister," Fred agreed laughingly.

Soon the tables were cleared and couples began drifting out onto the dance floor. The bar opened on the far side of the room. Ginny sat back in her chair, sipping the remainder of her glass of champagne and chatting easily with her brothers. After a few minutes, Draco squeezed her hand.

"Shall we dance?" he said, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Lead the way," she quipped, letting him pull her out of her chair and onto the dance floor.

Draco was an exceptionally good ballroom dancer – he hadn't been lying about his mum converting their indoor swimming pool into a dancing floor. He pulled her close and set them swaying to the beat of the music.

"You do realize I'm rubbish at this, right?" Ginny laughed, trying to match his steps.

"Yes, I can see that," Draco replied teasingly, "Here, one arm around my neck, and the other here in my hand. Perfect, now I'm going to put my hand on the small of your back…."

"Keep it on my back, Malfoy," Ginny chuckled.

"No promises," he smirked. "Now, just mirror what I'm doing and try not to step on my feet."

"Okay," Ginny said slowly, stepping forward and back with him, her eyes fixed on his feet.

"Ow, Gin!" Draco said sharply when she stomped quite hard on his foot.

She laughed aloud, "Whoops!"

"And to think, you're so graceful in the air," he said, grinning cheekily.

"Be nice," she giggled, slapping his arm.

"All right, now I'm going to spin you. This is the part where I'm supposed to look suave and you're supposed to look desperately sexy. So it would be best if we didn't both fall flat," he said, grinning. She twirled on his hand, throwing her head back and laughing.

"There, was it desperately sexy?"

He smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "Close enough."

They whirled around the room, teasing and laughing throughout the song. As the music tapered off, Ginny pulled away. "Shall we go get drinks?" she said.

"Mmm, sounds like a good idea," Draco said, "Let's go."

They crossed the dancefloor to the bar, where Ginny picked up another glass of champagne and Draco ordered a glass of red wine. Ginny saw Lucius Malfoy disengaging himself from a group a few feet away and make his way toward them.

She nudged Draco. "Your dad," she said quietly, and he straightened to meet his father head-on.

"Draco," Lucius said in greeting, and Ginny was once again struck by how weary the older man looked.

"Father, you know Ginny Weasley," Draco said, putting his arm deliberately around Ginny's waist. Ginny saw a ripple of annoyance cross Lucius's face as he turned to her. She didn't bother concealing her own dislike. She would never forget that Lucius Malfoy had given her Tom Riddle's diary all those years ago.

"Good evening, Miss Weasley," Lucius said, and Ginny nodded back curtly.

"Can I help you with something, Father?" Draco said stiffly.

"I just thought I would come pay my respects," Lucius answered cooly. "It's quite ironic to see you up there at the head table with the new ascendant family when your own as fallen from grace. It would seem your mother knew just where to place you."

"Indeed," Draco answered shortly.

"I'll be sending you an Owl in a few days," Lucius continued. "We need to meet and discuss the state of the family finances."

Draco nodded.

Lucius pursed his lips at Draco's cold attitude. "All right, well we'll speak then." And with that, he swept away.

Ginny rubbed Draco's arm soothingly, and as his father moved away, he visibly relaxed. "No chance of reconciliation between the two of you, then?" she said quietly.

"Doubtful," Draco answered. "We were never close, and after everything that's happened…what he did to my mother, what he did to you…."

Ginny nodded and took another sip of champagne. When she looked up, Pansy Parkinson was coming toward them. "You're quite popular tonight," she said under her breath. Draco looked at her strangely, and she realized that her comment had come out more annoyed than she had intended. He opened his mouth to speak, but Pansy's voice cut in.

"Hello," the dark-haired girl said smoothly. "Draco, I seem to remember you being quite the dancer. Care to refresh my memory?" She held out her hand to Draco, who turned to Ginny, eyebrows raised.

She raised her glass to him, nodding and swallowing her gulp of champagne with some effort. "Go ahead," she managed. He smiled, and Pansy nodded to her stiffly. He took her hand and went back out to the dance floor.

Ginny leaned back against the bar, sipping her drink. She watched Draco hold Pansy closely and whisper something in her ear that made her smile broadly. Pansy seemed to know her way around the dance floor just as well as Draco did, and they spun expertly to the music, looking for all the world like they were made to dance together. Ginny looked away. She knocked back the rest of her champagne and turned to order another.

The song ended, but Draco and Pansy continued dancing for the next song.

"Ginny!" She turned gratefully to whoever had spoken.

"Neville!" she exclaimed, giving him a big hug. "I didn't know you were coming! Wow, I haven't seen you in ages!"

"I know," Neville said, grinning widely. "I was disappointed you didn't come back to Hogwarts for Sixth Year. Would've been nice to have a friendly face around. But I hear you're back there, teaching?"

"Yeah, Charms," Ginny said, smiling. "What are you up to?"

"Well, I'm working in the medical greenhouse for St. Mungo's right now."

"That's amazing, Neville! I always knew you'd do something Herbology-related."

Neville shrugged modestly. "And I'm helping Hannah – you remember Hannah Abbott from school?" Ginny nodded. "Well I'm helping her get started at the Leaky Cauldron; she bought it from old Tom."

"Hannah Abbott! Are you together?" Ginny asked, "That's wonderful, Nev!" She nudged him good-naturedly.

"Speaking of which, I better get back to her," the tall boy said, looking over his shoulder to where the blonde girl was waving him back over. "But I just wanted to say hello. Let's get coffee sometime, yeah?"

"Of course, Neville, that would be lovely," Ginny said, smiling as he walked away. She waved to Hannah who waved back brightly.

On the dancefloor, Draco and Pansy were still dancing, their bodies extremely close, and Ginny pushed down the feeling of jealousy that she felt rise in her stomach. It didn't mean anything. She knew that. He and Pansy had known each other for ages. It was perfectly reasonable for them to re-kindle their friendship now that the war was over.

"Are you all right?" She turned to see Harry standing beside her.

"Of course," she said, forcing a smile onto her face. "Congratulations, by the way."

He grinned sheepishly. "Thanks."

He followed her gaze to Draco, who had just dipped Pansy elegantly. "You're not worried about _that_, are you?"

Ginny frowned. "What makes you think so?"

"Your face," Harry said, smiling wryly. "I can read you like an open book, Weasley."

Ginny raised her eyebrows at him. "You think you're so smart, don't you, Potter?"

"I'm sure it's nothing," Harry said seriously.

"I know," Ginny agreed.

"Then why are you still brooding? This is supposed to be a celebration, remember? Here, down that glass – we're going to dance," he said firmly, holding out his hand and grinning winningly at her.

Ginny laughed and swallowed the last of her third drink. Now that she thought of it, she could feel the first effects of the alcohol in her system. She felt a little warm and heady. "All right, Potter, let's go."

Harry spun her around as they reached the center of the dance floor, and she laughed as he pulled her against him with a comically superior expression on his face. "I bet you didn't know I'm a champion ballroom dancer," he quipped.

"No, I had no idea. Have you won many awards?" she laughed.

"All of them," he grinned. He took one of her hands in his and slid the other one down to the small of her back. He sucked in a breath when his fingers encountered her bare skin instead of fabric, and Ginny smiled mischevously as he blushed.

"Scandalous, I know," she teased.

"Yeah, that's quite something," Harry stuttered. But he recovered himself quickly, and began to sway back and forth.

"So are you going to show me your award-winning dancing skills?" Ginny challenged.

"Of course," he said. "Here, spin me."

"_Me_ spin _you_?" Ginny said incredulously. "Isn't the man supposed to spin the woman?"

Harry shot her an offended look. "Are you questioning my moves?"

"I wouldn't dare," Ginny teased. She stood on her tiptoes to let him spin and shook with laughter as he twirled around. They slowed to a gentle sway as the song changed to one of the Weird Sisters' romantic ballads. In her heels, Ginny could just rest her chin on Harry's shoulder. "I'm so proud of you, Harry," she said softly. "I knew you could do it."

She felt him smile against her cheek.

"Is Helena not here?" Ginny asked, realizing that she hadn't seen Harry's girlfriend the entire night.

She felt Harry stiffen a little, but he answered quickly. "She couldn't make it," he replied.

"Ah."

"Do you remember the Yule Ball?" he asked suddenly.

"Of course I do. I seem to remember you demonstrating your award-winning dance moves then, too," she chuckled.

Harry snorted. "Why didn't I ask you to dance?"

"Because you were a right prat," Ginny said immediately. He laughed. "No, it was because you were there with Parvati and you wanted to be there with Cho. I could not have been less on your radar."

"What an idiot," Harry sighed, and Ginny pulled away to smirk at him.

"I'm glad you've realized the error of your ways after all these years."

Over Harry's shoulder, Ginny saw Draco and Pansy swaying slowly to the beat. She bit her lip. Harry looked down at her, noticing the sudden change in her expression. "Hey, hey, what's that?" He chucked her under the chin and smiled. Following her gaze, he glanced over his shoulder, nodding sympathetically. "Hey, why don't we go outside for a minute? You don't need to watch them if it bothers you."

Ginny sighed. "All right," she said, "I guess I could use a little fresh air."

She followed Harry out of the ballroom and through a set of double doors onto one of the gallery's wide balconies. She breathed in the fresh air and leaned her elbows on the stone balcony rail. The champagne and dancing had made her cheeks flush, and she shut her eyes, savoring the feeling of the cool breeze against her skin. She felt Harry lean against the rail next to her. Somewhere along the way he'd shed his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. The fabric of the shirt was warm against her shoulder.

"You look really beautiful tonight, Gin," Harry said suddenly.

Ginny smiled and met his eyes. "Why thank you. You don't look half bad yourself, Mr. Potter. Although," she added teasingly, nudging his shoulder, "you could have put a little more effort into taming your hair."

She reached over and brushed a stray piece of messy black hair off his forehead.

Harry laughed. "Oh, well don't be too flattering," he said, rolling his eyes.

"I don't patronize you, Harry. You know that," she grinned, echoing his words from several weeks before.

He smiled at that. "I really don't think you should be worried," he said softly, "About Malfoy, that is."

Ginny sighed and turned to look out at the city below them. "I just wish he would let me in. He's being so secretive about their friendship, that's all."

"I don't think he'll cheat on you," Harry said, and Ginny looked at him. He smiled a little wryly and turned away so that she was watching his profile as he spoke. "He loves you. Anyone can see it."

Ginny smiled, and they lapsed into silence for a moment. "You're a good friend, Harry," she said finally, leaning over to give him a hug. They stood there for a moment in the embrace, the cool breeze brushing against their skin. Then suddenly they heard someone clearing his throat loudly from the balcony doorway.

Ginny pulled away and turned to see Ron standing there, arms crossed. Ginny was taken aback by the angry look on his face. "Ginny, can I speak with you? Alone?" he said, tone harsh.

"Ron, what's this about?" Harry said guardedly from beside her.

"Nothing," Ron said sternly, "I just need to speak with my sister."

"All right, let's -," Ginny said, moving to follow Ron back into the ballroom.

"No, you two can stay here. I'll go," Harry said, patting Ginny's arm. He fixed Ron with an unfathomably hard look as he brushed past him off the balcony. Ron shut the double doors tight behind him, and Ginny crossed her arms to match her brother's stance.

"So, what's this about?" she said.

"What do you think you're playing at, Ginny!" he said accusingly, his expression hard.

Ginny hedged. "Ron, I have no idea what you're going on about," she snapped.

"You can't keep leading him on like this! It's not fair to him and I hate to say this, but it's really not fair to Malfoy either and -."

"Wait just a second, Ron!" Ginny cut in harshly. "Who are you talking about? Harry?" She barked a laugh. "Don't be ridiculous!"

"Ridiculous? Don't play stupid with me, Ginny! I've stood by long enough," Ron snapped back, "Hermione told me not to meddle, but I can't just sit back and let you…," he broke off.

"Let me what, Ron? Harry and I are just friends!" She snorted, "Don't tell me you believe what they've been writing in those bloody gossip magazines."

"That's not what I'm talking about, Gin," Ron said sharply. "It's the hugging and the holding hands and the dancing and the flirting…don't pretend you don't know what you've been doing. I know you're not that naïve."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "That's harmless, Ron. We're not twelve years old."

"It's not harmless, Ginny!" Ron said, voice rising in frustration. "You can't keep being that way with him!"

"Being what way, Ron!" Ginny challenged, matching his tone.

"The way you were when you two were together! You're with another guy now, Gin, and you have to stop dragging Harry along on a bloody string…."

"Ron!" Ginny said angrily, "I'm not leading him on! He has a bloody girlfriend, for Merlin's sake!"

"No, he doesn't, Ginny!" Ron yelled. "He broke up with her a week ago!"

This stunned Ginny into silence. "He broke up with Helena?" she said slowly, "He didn't tell me…."

"No, he wouldn't, would he?" Ron retorted, running an agitated hand across the back of his neck.

His tone grated. "What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped.

"He wouldn't tell you, Ginny, because he's too damn noble, and you're just walking all over him!"

"Why wouldn't he tell me? Harry and I are friends, Ron, really good friends, so why wouldn't he tell me!"

"BECAUSE HE'S STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU!" Ron roared.

Ginny froze, and the words hung in the air around them. Ron sighed heavily and rubbed a hand over his face. "He's still in love with you," he repeated quietly. "He won't tell you because you're with Malfoy, and he won't date anyone else because he can't honestly commit to them. He's being his usual noble, do-gooding, suffer-in-silence self, and you're just leading him on. He can't get over you when you're like this, Ginny."

"No," Ginny said softly, "He's not in love with me. He can't be…." But even as she said the words, a dozen images flashed through her mind. Harry telling her that cutting her out of his life hadn't been working anyway. Harry's hand hesitating at the zipper of her dress. Harry looking at her in the Astronomy Tower. Harry, just moments before, telling her she looked beautiful.

Ginny felt her heart pounding hard and loud in her chest. Harry was still in love with her. Ron seemed to notice the shell-shocked look on her face, and he lowered his voice sympathetically.

"I always worried that he'd break your heart, Gin," he said slowly, "But now you're breaking his."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Hehe, sorry for the semi-cliffhanger :) I hope the extra-lengthiness of this chapter makes up for it. It was very fun to write! I was going to include the next thing that happens, but I think it might fit better with the next chapter, and anyway, this one was getting a little unwieldy. That being said, I will definitely endeavor to have the next chapter up asap!

**However**, I would like to share an important piece of information with you: _this story is going to have two endings_. It's not going to diverge for several more chapters and the two endings will only be about three chapters long each, but when we get to the part where it diverges, I'll be posting two chapters at a time until the end. Does that make sense? Feel free to PM me or ask questions in reviews! But I hope that's okay with all of you - I decided quite a while ago to make this story have two endings, and I'm very excited about it! Anyway, I'm not going to share any more information about what those two endings might contain, but do with this info what you will...


	21. Breaking His Heart

**Chapter 20: Breaking His Heart**

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><p>"<em>BECAUSE HE STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU!" Ron roared.<em>

_Ginny froze, and the words hung in the air around them. Ron sighed heavily and rubbed a hand over his face. "He's still in love with you," he repeated quietly. "He won't tell you because you're with Malfoy, and he won't date anyone else because he can't honestly commit to them. He's being his usual noble, do-gooding, suffer-in-silence self, and you're just leading him on. He can't get over you when you're like this, Ginny."_

"_No," Ginny said softly, "He's not in love with me. He can't be…." But even as she said the words, a dozen images flashed through her mind. Harry telling her that cutting her out of his life hadn't been working anyway. Harry's hand hesitating at the zipper of her dress. Harry looking at her in the Astronomy Tower. Harry, just moments before, telling her she looked beautiful._

_Ginny felt her heart pounding hard and loud in her chest. Harry was still in love with her. Ron seemed to notice the shell-shocked look on her face, and he lowered his voice sympathetically._

"_I always worried that he'd break your heart, Gin," he said slowly, "But now you're breaking his."_

Ginny suddenly felt incredibly light-headed. Damnit – how could Harry be in love with her? They were supposed to be friends – just friends! And now everything was complicated again. Wouldn't their relationship ever be just simple? She swallowed hard. She couldn't face him right now, not after what she'd done to him over the past few weeks. She'd been hugging him and flirting with him, thinking it was all innocent fun, when really she'd been leading him on.

She started to brush past Ron back into the ballroom, but he put a hand gently on her shoulder and she paused. "He made me promise not to say anything. He doesn't want to ruin your friendship. And I didn't mean to be too harsh, Ginny," he said quietly, "But I couldn't let it keep going on."

"I know, Ron," Ginny muttered. "Look, congratulations on the Order of Merlin. I'm really proud of you. But I think I need to go home…clear my head."

"Okay," Ron agreed. Ginny stood on tiptoe to give him a quick peck on the cheek and he squeezed her shoulder as she headed back inside.

The dance floor was still crowded with couples and groups, and they'd turned down the lights a little to set a more carefree mood. Ginny skirted the floor at a quick pace, but before long she saw Harry coming toward her out of the corner of her eye followed by a confused-looking Hermione. She kept walking. She couldn't deal with this right now.

"Wait, Ginny, what's wrong? What did Ron say? Are you okay?"

Ginny clenched her hands together agitatedly and tried to avoid his eye. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said quickly. "I'm just feeling a bit tired, that's all. Congratulations, again, both of you," she added, "I think I'm going to head home."

Hermione smiled, gave her a quick hug, and moved away, but Harry wasn't fooled, just as Ginny knew he wouldn't be. He could always tell when she was upset. "Ginny, are you all right?"

Ginny cleared her throat and met his eyes. They were so bright green. Years ago one look from them had made the breath catch in her chest, but now all she felt was embarrassment. She looked away. "Yes, Harry, I'm fine," she said firmly. "I'll see you around."

He opened his mouth to protest, but she turned away before he could speak. She considered asking Draco to go home with her, but then she caught sight of him on the dance floor, still dancing with Pansy, and she just looked away and kept walking. She hurried through the wide, marble hallways, her heels clicking faster and faster. She just needed some space to think.

She Apparated back to the apartment and went straight to the shower, shedding her dress in a long strip of green on the living room carpet. She turned the dial until the water was as hot as it could get and steam filled the bathroom. She clenched her fists as the hot droplets pattered her skin. How could she have been so stupid! It had been so obvious to everyone that Harry was in love with her – had never _stopped_ being in love with her. If she was being entirely honest with herself, _she_ had known, in her heart of hearts, that he still had feelings, at least at the beginning. But she'd ignored it, hoping it would go away. She had wanted so badly to be friends with him – good friends, like they'd used to be – that she had ignored it. And when he'd started dating Helena, she had thought he had finally moved on. She pressed the bottoms of her palms to her eyes. At the beginning she had been selfish, and then she had just been stupid.

Fifteen minutes later, she stepped out of the shower, skin pink, and threw on cotton shorts and a big hooded sweatshirt. She climbed into bed and pulled the covers up around her. She lay there in the dark, staring at the ceiling, but she couldn't fall asleep.

* * *

><p>Ginny was jolted from her thoughts by the sound of the wards being lowered and the door opening. She glanced at the clock: two a.m. She felt a rush of irritation.<p>

Through the open doorway, she watched Draco, hair-disheveled and tie hanging undone around his neck, walk into the kitchen for a glass of water. A few moments later his shape darkened the doorway of the bedroom, but Ginny knew that it was too dark for him to tell that she was awake.

But just as he started to move away toward the shower, she spoke. "Did you have fun?" she said testily. She knew she sounded harsh (and the slightest bit accusatory), but she felt her temper rising. Her friendship with Harry was ruined, and he had stayed out until two in the morning dancing non-stop with bloody Pansy Parkinson.

Draco paused, and she knew he had noticed her tone. "Yes," he said slowly, "It was a good time."

Ginny snorted, "Yeah, it sure looked like it."

This time, he was silent for longer. Then suddenly he flicked on the light. Ginny sat up in bed, pulling her pillow around and punching it down into her lap. "What's wrong with you?" he said. His tone was neutral, but he leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms, and his facial expression betrayed his annoyance.

"What's wrong with _me_?" Ginny scoffed. "You're the one who doesn't even notice when his date leaves the bloody ball and then comes back at two in the morning after a night of Merlin knows what with his ex-girlfriend."

Draco raised his eyebrows at her and pushed himself off the wall angrily. "Pansy is _not _my ex-girlfriend. And maybe I would have noticed you were leaving if you had bothered to come tell me."

"Well I would have," she snapped, "if your cheek hadn't been glued to Pansy's for the entire night."

"Hey, I danced with you first, if you recall," he replied sharply, voice rising. "And you said it was perfectly fine when she came and asked if I wanted to dance."

"I didn't think it was going to be until two in the bloody morning!" she answered. "I thought it would be one dance, for old times sake. But I guess I should've known you'd be spending the rest of the night with her!" she continued, laughing mirthlessly, "It seems like all you want to do lately is spend hours with Pansy and tell me absolutely nothing about it."

"Oh, so that's what this is about, is it?" he snapped back, "Well, I'm sorry, Ginny, but Pansy and I are old friends – _good_ friends – and what do you want me to do all week when you're at school, huh? Sit in this empty apartment alone!"

"Of course not!" she said, angrily pushing the blankets away and getting out of bed. "But it's not right for you to be running around town and dancing provocatively with another woman – a woman you've basically told me you used to be in love with – for the whole bloody world to see!"

"Oh, that's rich coming from you!" he flared. "What the hell do you think you and Potter are like?"

At the mention of Harry's name, the guilt rose in Ginny's throat. She swallowed hard. "I don't want to talk about that," she said lowly, stalking across the room and pushing past him out the door.

"No!" he insisted, yelling now, whirling and following her into the living room. "You brought this up! You want to talk about it? Let's bloody talk about it!"

"I said I don't want to talk about!" she snapped, avoiding his eye by walking into the kitchen and pouring herself a cup of water.

"You think I didn't see you two dancing tonight?" he yelled. He was gripping the countertop so hard his knuckles were white. "You don't think I see those bloody tabloid articles they print about you two? You think I don't wonder and worry and _agonize_ over what you're doing with him at Hogwarts?"

"Don't you _dare_, Draco Malfoy!" she yelled back, facing him and stabbing a finger into his chest. "We have been over this and over this!"

"Then don't you bloody lecture me about Parkinson! You hug him, you dance with him, you hold his hand, you flirt with him, you live one bloody floor beneath him, and I don't say a damn thing! And that's a hell of a lot more than most self-respecting boyfriends would do!"

Draco's list of all the things she had done to Harry – all the things that had led him on – hit home, and Ginny looked away. Draco saw her eyes slide to the ground. When she met his gaze again, his grey eyes, usually so clear and piercing, were wide with shock and clouded with anger.

"Bloody hell! It's guilt!" he choked, "I've been trying to figure out what that is…in your eyes…since we started this. It's guilt. You're sleeping with him, aren't you? AREN'T YOU?"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," she snapped, "I'm not sleeping with him!"

"Don't you lie to me, Ginny!" he yelled, slamming his fist into the counter.

"I am not bloody sleeping with him!" she cried, frustrated tears welling in her eyes.

"Then why is there that guilt?" he challenged.

Ginny thrust her glass away from her. It shattered against the tiles of the countertop. "BECAUSE HE'S IN LOVE WITH ME!" she shouted. Her vision blurred as the tears began coursing down her face. "He's in love with me," she continued, "And I've been doing all those things…all those things you said. And now everything's ruined."

She swiped at her tears, but when she had cleared her vision, she saw Draco looking down at her with hard eyes. There was no sympathy, just his fists clenched at his side.

He took a deep, shaky breath. "You told me he wasn't in love with you," he said. His voice was lower now, and colder. "I asked you, and you told me you were _sure_ he wasn't."

"That's not…it's not important," she managed.

"It is bloody important, Ginny," he said warningly. "Did you know he was in love with you? Have you known this whole time?" His lips were set in a hard line, and his gaze was burning into her.

"No," she said shakily. "I knew at first, but I thought he got over it. I thought he had moved on. I didn't want to believe it."

"But he told you?" Draco said. "He told you today, at the ball?"

"No," she said quickly, determinedly training her eyes on the corner of one of the floor tiles. "No, Ron told me at the ball. Harry didn't say anything."

Draco was silent for a moment, and Ginny's gaze shifted to his clenched fists just barely grazing the fabric of his pants. "Are you happy that he's in love with you?" he asked finally.

Ginny's eyes flew to his face. "Of course I'm not happy!" she cried. "I'm in love with _you_!"

He didn't respond. His eyes just bored into her own. Finally his gaze flicked away for a moment, and then he spoke. "You can't see him anymore."

Ginny bit back a retort. She hated anyone telling her who she could or couldn't see, but she knew this wasn't the time. She exhaled deeply. "You know I can't do that. We work together," she said wearily.

"Ginny, look at me," he said quietly, and she met his gaze. "You know what I mean. Work with him. But all the other stuff – the spending time together outside of required meetings, the lunches, thehand-holding – it stops now."

"So you're asking me to end my friendship with Harry?" she said, balking.

"No," he said firmly, "I'm telling you. He's in love with you, and it doesn't matter how noble you think he is. You have to put an end to this now. Right now."

"It's not his fault he's in love with me, Draco," she insisted, but there wasn't any fight in her tone. "He can't help it."

He looked at her determinedly, his eyes pinning her in place for a long moment. "I know that," he said flatly. "But _you_ can."

And she knew he was right.

* * *

><p>The rest of the Christmas holiday passed quickly. As soon as she had agreed to distance herself from Harry, Draco's shoulders had hunched with relief and he had seemed to release all of his pent-up…was it tension? After that, he didn't mention Harry or their conversation for the rest of the week, but he was all gentleness. He held her close as they slept and kissed her hair every morning, and Ginny knew that it was his way of thanking her.<p>

Harry Owl'd her three times that week, asking her if everything was all right and whether she wanted to have lunch sometime. She could tell he was worried about what Ron had said to her on the balcony. She replied with short notes, telling him she wanted to spend the rest of the holiday with Draco and that she would see him at weekly staff meetings once the new term started. She hoped he would stop asking soon; she hated distancing herself from him, but she knew she had to do it.

Too soon it was the morning of the first day of the new term, and Ginny found herself back at Hogwarts. She entered the Great Hall for breakfast, steeling herself for what she was about to do.

She scanned the professors' table. Harry had saved her a seat beside him, just like he had every morning for the past few months. She took a deep breath and strode purposefully across the hall, eyes straight ahead. She walked right by Harry and took the seat next to Madam Pomfrey.

"Hello, Ginny, dear," the stout matron said surprisedly. "How was your holiday?"

Ginny forced herself to smile. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Harry looking straight at her, confusion written all over his face. She shook herself and turned her attention back to Madam Pomfrey. "It was lovely, Poppy. How was yours?"

She did the same thing at lunch, carefully avoiding sitting next to Harry and engaging in meaningless small talk in order to distract herself from the fact that his green gaze was boring into her.

Her last class of the day was Sixth Years, and she patted herself on the back for having planned defensive charms for the first day back. The students paired up and threw mild hexes at each other to practice their defenses, and between Ivan Porter's nosebleed and the red smoke bursting out of Ellen Wilder's ears, she barely had time to think at all.

"All right, everyone," she said finally, glancing up at the clock, "That's enough for today. I appreciate your careful choice of spells. Thank you for not sending each other to the hospital wing. Homework for tonight is ten inches on what you learned today about defensive charms. When did certain charms work and when did they fail? What charms are most effective when you don't have a lot of time to yell complex spells? Due on Friday, all right?"

There was a general murmur of acknowledgement and the students began to leave, chattering noisily, as the clock struck three o'clock. Ginny turned to erase what she had written on the blackboard, but then the chatter suddenly petered off, and Ginny knew who must have just walked in. She sighed and brushed the chalk off of her hands before turning. She desperately did not want to have this conversation.

Harry was standing by the door, looking a little agitated. His hair was even messier than usual. Several of Ginny's students had paused in the process of leaving the classroom and were watching them expectantly. By now most everyone had heard that Professor Potter and Professor Weasley had gotten in some kind of fight – there could be no mistaking the deliberate way she had avoided him at breakfast and lunch. And the two of them walking together through the halls, talking and laughing, had become a regular fixture of the castle. Ginny knew that her remaining students were hoping that they could delay their exit long enough to get some gossip. She raised her eyebrows at them and they moved out into the hall but, Ginny noticed wryly, still within hearing range.

"Can I help you with something, Harry?" she said briskly, straightening the papers on her desk before raising her eyes to his. He moved to close the door against the prying eyes of the students outside. "No, leave it open, please," Ginny said quickly. There weren't going to be anymore headlines about the two of them spending time behind closed doors, carrying on their secret romance in Hogwarts classrooms. Instead she cast a quick Silencing Charm over them.

She saw a quick wave of hurt cross his features and her heart clenched a little. She hated doing this to him.

"Did I do something wrong?" he said softly.

"No," she replied, "Of course not."

"Then why are you avoiding me?" he asked.

She sighed and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I just think we've been spending too much time together, that's all."

His brow furrowed. "I don't understand," he said slowly. "I thought everything was going really well, Gin…."

"It was," Ginny said quickly. He opened his mouth to speak again, but she exhaled heavily. "Look, Harry," she said, coming around her desk and leaning against it. She clenched her fingers tight on the desk edge. "I really like spending time with you, but you still have feelings for me, and I think it would be better if we just…weren't so close anymore."

Harry ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up even more. "How-," he stuttered and swallowed hard. "I didn't want you to know about that. I didn't want you to think that I had ulterior motives or anything."

"I know, Harry," she said gently, "But I've known for a while. I want you to move on; I really do. And you can't do that while we're friends."

Harry laughed mirthlessly. "Ginny, you don't have to worry about me. You don't have to do this…for me."

Ginny smiled wryly. Her heart felt like it was being wrung out within her chest. "Yes, Harry," she said firmly. "I do." She slung her bag over her shoulder and moved toward the door.

"Ginny, wait…," Harry said softly as she came up beside him. There was so much hurt in his voice that her hand reflexively moved to squeeze his arm, but she pulled it back and clenched it hard. She bit her lip and walked past him and out the door.

Two days later, she and Harry were on the cover of _Witch Weekly_ under the headline _No Longer Together: Why Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter Have Parted Ways_.

It was all for the better. Wasn't it?

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>That was a super-quick update, right? I'm having so much fun writing this story, and I hope you're enjoying reading it! So some of you are intrigued by the two-endings plan and some of you are pretty skeptical. But to those of you who expressed concern, just know that it will make more sense very soon - I hope you'll stick with it! For now, please review and tell me what you think!


	22. It's Up to Us

**Chapter 21: It's Up to Us**

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><p>Ginny sat cross-legged on her bed, a thick blanket wrapped around her shoulders, frowning down at the assignment she was grading. It was three o'clock on a Friday afternoon, and she was trying to finish up some grading before she headed home for the weekend. Calvin Endicott seemed to have confused the Conjunctivitus Curse and Confundus Charm, and she was having trouble deciphering what he was trying to say about them.<p>

It had been a month since she had told Harry they couldn't spend time together anymore, and some of the awkwardness had begun to fade. She had started taking a different route to the Great Hall in the morning and a different staircase to get to her room each evening. She suspected that Harry was avoiding her as well. But on the rare occasions when they did pass in the hallways or when their eyes accidentally met during dinner, they both quickly looked away. It was uncomfortable, but it was doable.

Suddenly, the fire crackling in the grate surged into green flames and Draco's head and shoulders came into view. She scooted off the bed and settled down before the fire.

"Hi, love," he said, smiling. She could tell from the picture frames and bookcase behind him that he was at the office. "When are you heading home?"

She twirled her grading quill absent-mindedly between her thumb and forefinger. "Probably around five. I want to finish up some work."

Draco nodded. "All right." He paused and cleared his throat, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why do I get the feeling that our relaxing weekend of staying in bed and drinking hot cocoa is about to be blown to shreds?"

"Well," he said, shifting in his seat, "My father just Owled me. He wants to open up the family files this weekend for me to take a look at our accounts."

"Why don't you just bring them home?"

"Security spells," he said. "The documents can't be taken off manor grounds or some very ugly things happen." He raised his eyebrows at her meaningfully, and she winced.

"And I think it'll take the whole weekend for me to get through everything," he continued.

Ginny sighed theatrically. "I _suppose_ I'll just putter around at home alone."

He looked at her strangely. "No, no, I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me!"

"You want me to stay with you at the manor for the weekend? Your dad hates me."

He shrugged. "He's going to have to get over it eventually. And anyway, he'll probably be out of the house for most of the weekend. He's barely ever there."

"All right," Ginny said slowly. Somehow, the prospect of spending the weekend at Malfoy Manor made her feel a bit anxious. She had only negative associations with the place. "When do you want to head over?"

Draco glanced at his watch. "I'll probably be done here around four. So I'll meet you at the apartment at five and we can Apparate over?"

* * *

><p>Walking up the lane to Malfoy Manor was considerably less uncomfortable with Draco by her side. He strode through the gate and into the house nonchalantly, carrying both of their weekend bags slung easily over one shoulder and wrapping the other arm around her waist.<p>

A stout, elderly-looking House Elf greeted them in the foyer. "Good evening, Master Draco," the elf said with almost humorous gravity.

"Evening, Bixby," Draco said, setting the bags down. "I expect Father told you I'd be coming? This is Miss Weasley," he added, gesturing to Ginny. "She'll be staying for the weekend as well."

Bixby bowed low, and Ginny smiled politely. "I was not aware that Master Malfoy would be bringing a guest. I shall have Effie and Buckley ready the guest bedroom as soon as possible."

"That won't be necessary," Draco replied, "She'll be staying in my bedroom with me. Please send both of our bags up, and be sure to let Buckley know that he'll be cooking for both of us this weekend."

Bixby looked rather disapproving of the planned sleeping arrangement, but he bowed deeply in acknowledgement.

"Will that be all, Sir?"

"Yes, I'm going to give Miss Weasley a tour of the house. Is my father here?"

"Yes, Master Draco, but he says that he is occupied and will see you for dinner at seven."

"Good. Thank you, Bixby, you may go." Bixby bowed again and started up the stairs, their bags trailing behind him.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Ginny burst into laughter. "He's quite formal, isn't he?" she said.

Draco grinned and shrugged. "He's been that way for as long as I can remember. He's rather an old-fashioned House Elf. He was a favorite of my grandfather's."

"Ah," Ginny said, a humorous gleam in her eye, "So he remembers a more civilized time, then."

"Indeed."

"And what about you, Master Draco?" she grinned. "You seem quite used to managing the household."

"Well, with great power comes great responsibility," Draco said, expression serious. Ginny laughed.

"May I see the palace now?" she said.

"All right," he replied, holding out a hand. "Shall we?"

She followed him across the foyer and through the large parlor where all of the funeral attendees had been gathered weeks ago, then into the small parlor where the two of them had talked. Now she had the time to actually look at all of the portraits lining the walls – Draco's ancestors. Toward the end of the hall was Lucius Malfoy's and, opposite, Narcissa's. And beside his father was Draco's. She stopped in front of it.

"Stand still," she ordered, looking between the painting and the real man. "It's a good portrait," she said appraisingly. "Who painted it?"

"There's a family of painters in Paris that's been doing all the Malfoy portraits for generations," Draco explained.

"Fancy," Ginny smiled. "They've got your eyes all wrong, though." She looked back to the portrait. Painted-Draco had moved to the table on one side of the canvas and was flipping through the pages of a book, a very somber expression on his face. Ginny doubted if any of the people in these portraits ever smiled.

"What do you mean?"

"They're too…hard," she said. "Not kind enough."

"Well that was done Sixth Year," he replied. "I don't think they _were_ particularly kind at that point."

"Also, I think they made you too tall," Ginny continued, "And you're not _quite _as handsome as this portrait makes you out to be. Your nose is actually much more bulbous, and they left out all of your warts, and…." She dissolved into giggles as came up to try to smother her in a hug.

"All right, all right, that's enough out of you," he laughed.

"Your mum looks really young in her portrait," Ginny considered, turning to look at Narcissa's painting. "She was very pretty." And she was; the woman's long hair fell around her shoulders and contrasted beautifully with the canvas's dark background and her long, black dress. But the painted woman looked a little distracted. Her eyes were focused on something far away.

"It was just after they got engaged," Draco explained. "She must've been about your age…maybe even younger."

"So is that spot going to be for your fiance, then?" Ginny said, her gaze turning to the blank space of wall beside Narcissa's painting.

Draco smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Eventually," he said. "Let's go, I want to show you the ballroom you've heard so much about, and then the upstairs."

Half an hour later they mounted the wide staircase to the upper level of the house and stopped before a set of tall double doors. "And this, my dear, is where the magic happens." He winked and let them inside.

It was a huge room with a high, vaulted ceiling. It was dominated by a mahogany canopy bed with black satin sheets and, above that, a looming painting of the manor and grounds. There was a wide window to one side and a desk facing it. And on the left, a long deep green sofa and two armchairs were arranged around a very ornate fireplace, which was already blazing. Bixby had obviously readied the room for Master Draco's arrival.

"Wow," Ginny said, walking in and turning in a wide circle. "I like it. It's not what I expected."

"What do you mean?" Draco said, closing the doors behind them and watching her move around the room.

"I dunno," Ginny said, moving to the bookcases beside the fireplace and pulling books off, inspecting their covers, and replacing them. "You have this big window and this warm fireplace. It's much homier than I thought it would be."

"Oh," Draco said teasingly, "You thought I grew up in a freezing cold dungeon with slits for windows."

"Yep," Ginny quipped. "With skulls on the mantelpiece and books about torture and death."

Draco laughed. "Well, I'm awfully sorry to disappoint."

"Apology accepted," Ginny said, grinning at him over her shoulder. She finished her inspection of the room and lifted herself onto the bed, kicking off her shoes and lying back. "And this is an _extremely_ comfortable bed. I must say, Mr. Malfoy," she said, lifting her head to look at him, "You have really outdone yourself with this bed."

Draco crossed the room and climbed on top of her, smiling broadly. "The mattress I picked. But this bed frame is at least a hundred years old." He looked down at her and smirked. "And I think you are the first non-Slytherin to lay your head on it."

"Really?" Ginny said, raising her eyebrows cheekily, "Well that makes it just that much better, doesn't it?"

He lowered his head and she sighed as their lips met. "Yes, yes it does," he whispered. Her fingers moved up into his hair and his kisses were just starting to edge down her neck to her collarbone when there was a sharp knock on the door.

"Master Draco?" The squeaky voice filtered into the room from behind the wood. "Dinner is served."

Draco sighed heavily. "All right, Effie," he called, pushing himself off the bed and straightening the suit he was still wearing from work. Ginny cleared her throat and sat up, running a hand through her hair.

"I guess we ought to go down," he continued.

Ginny smirked at the frustrated look on his face. "I guess so. We can continue that later…," she added quietly, running a teasing hand down the front of his suit. She felt a smug satisfaction at his sharp intake of breath.

"You're going to be the death of me, woman," he muttered, shaking his head.

"You love it," she laughed, taking his hand and leading him from the room.

* * *

><p>Lucius Malfoy was already seated at the head of the long table in the dining room when they entered. The older man looked even more tired and drawn than he had at the Order of Merlin ball, and for the first time Ginny wondered if he might be ill. But his eyes narrowed as she followed Draco into the room and he watched icily as his son pulled out her chair and then sat down across from her.<p>

"Draco," he said sternly as a small, female House Elf and a male counterpart paraded in with their plates of food, "I didn't know you would be bringing a guest."

"Mmm," Draco said easily, taking a sip of his wine, "Ginny works at Hogwarts, so we spend most of our time together on weekends. I thought she might like to see the Manor."

Lucius nodded shortly, his eyes flicking sharply to Ginny, who forced herself to meet his gaze head-on. "Tell me, Miss Weasley," the older man said slowly, picking up his fork and starting in on his meal, "How is your family? Still living in that tiny shack of a house, are they?"

Ginny swallowed her own bite of food. She knew he was baiting her. "They're doing very well," she said. "As is their house. In fact, just the other day the Minister of Magic was there for dinner, and he thought it was wonderfully cozy." She looked up and smiled brightly. Lucius Malfoy smiled back tightly, but his eyes were scowling. Ginny glanced at Draco; his eyes were gleaming with amusement.

"And what is it that you do at Hogwarts?" Lucius continued.

"I teach Charms."

"Do you?" he replied coolly, twirling a bit of pasta on his fork. Ginny steeled herself for whatever was coming. "And here I was under the impression that you were spending most of your time there sleeping with Harry Potter."

Ginny's eyes shot up to Draco, who was glaring daggers at Lucius. "Father…," he said warningly.

"I wouldn't have taken you for a reader of _Witch Weekly_, Mr. Malfoy," Ginny cut in smoothly.

Lucius smiled acidly. "Hardly," he replied. "But _The Daily Prophet_ and several other more reputable publications all tell the same story."

Ginny nodded slowly. "Well, I certainly didn't expect that all of the gossip columns would begin telling lies about the nature of my work at Hogwarts." She took a long sip of wine and smiled coolly at him over the rim of her glass. "But you of all people should know that things don't always go according to plan."

He held her gaze for a long moment, then barked out a mirthless laugh. "Indeed," he replied, and then he turned to Draco. "I will have Bixby make the accounts available to you tomorrow morning at seven."

"Good," Draco said. "Have you been keeping decent records over the past few years?"

As Lucius answered, Draco nudged her foot under the table and gave her an appreciative wink. She raised her glass to him and smiled back.

Soon, their plates had been cleared, and they stood to go.

"I'll be out for the rest of the weekend," Lucius said. "There is a conference in Berlin that I'm expected to attend."

"Fine," Draco replied. "Goodnight, father."

"Goodnight, Mr. Malfoy," Ginny said, trying for politeness. "Thank you for letting me spend the weekend here," she added.

Lucius narrowed his eyes at her. "Miss Weasley," he said slowly, "Let me make something perfectly clear. If it were up to me, you would not be spending any time here at all. Nor would my son see fit to involve himself with you."

Ginny opened her mouth, a sharp retort on her lips, but Draco caught her hand in his and squeezed it. "Luckily, Father," he said coolly, "It is _not_ up to you." And he led her out of the room.

"Thank you for sitting through that," Draco said as they walked up the stairs.

"Well I can't say it was a pleasure…." she replied, grinning.

"I owe you," he replied. "But you were fantastic in there. I don't think anyone's ever stood up to him like that."

Ginny smirked. "All in a day's work."

* * *

><p>The next day dawned bright, the sun reflecting off of the white expanse of snow on the grounds. When Ginny woke tangled in the satin sheets, Draco was already sitting on the sofa in front of the fire, poring over the large stack of papers.<p>

"Good morning, sleepyhead," he said when she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Already hard at work?" she said, climbing out of bed and pulling a thick jumper over her cream-colored silk slip from Christmas. She padded over to the sofa. "Budge up," she muttered, and sat down, snuggling up against his chest.

"Well the good news is, if there's one thing my father really cares about, it's keeping the family finances in order." He set the sheet of parchment aside and kissed her temple. "Do you want some hot cocoa? I know you were hoping to sit in front of a fire and drink hot cocoa this weekend."

"At home," she teased, "But I guess this'll do. It is a mansion, after all."

Draco grinned and pulled a cord that hung down beside the sofa. In a moment, there was a knock on the door and a tentative Effie entered. "What can Effie do for you, Sir?"

"Two hot cocoas, please, Effie," he replied. "With marshmellows if you can find them?"

The House Elf bowed and left, and Ginny raised her eyebrows at him. "Marshmellows? You're really pulling out all the stops, aren't you?"

"Only the best for Ginny Weasley," he grinned.

"You better believe it. Now, should I be worried that _my_ finances don't look like this?" she said, picking up the piece of parchment and surveying the neatly charted numbers that filled the page. "Because I just throw all of my receipts into a box and hope for the best."

"I'm appalled," Draco teased. "And to think that you have a financier as a boyfriend."

"I know! It's done me no good at all."

Effie scurried back in with two large mugs of cocoa, and Ginny sat up to take hers. She sipped the steaming chocolate and leaned back against Draco's chest with a contented sigh.

"Hey, Gin?" Draco said softly.

"Mmm?"

"I just want you to know that it means a lot to me...what you're doing."

Ginny turned and swung her legs over his lap. "What do you mean?"

He met her eyes. "Staying away from Potter. I appreciate that you're doing it." He swallowed. "I know that it's been hard for you, but I want you to know that, well, that it means a lot to me."

She smiled gently and leaned in to kiss him. "It's the right thing, Draco. The fact that it bothered you was obviously important, but I would've done it anyway."

Draco nodded. "And I know that it bothers you that Pansy and I spend so much time together, so I'm going to try to see her less. Is that good?"

"Draco," she said quickly, "You don't have to do that. I don't expect it."

He shook his head. "No, if it bothers you, it bothers me. You stopped seeing Potter…it's the least I can do."

She leaned her head against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. She closed her eyes and smiled. "I love you," she said quietly.

He kissed the top of her head. "I love you too."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>This chapter is dedicated to all of you lovely readers who have been politely asking for Draco/Ginny fluff and have been super patient with me. You know I love you guys, right? I hope this chapter was at least somewhat satisfying in the fluff category…try to remember it as the next few chapters unfold.

Please review!


	23. Destroyed, Part One

**Author's Note: **I am posting this next part in two short chapters instead of in one long chapter (it works better that way). You are really going to hate me at the end of it, but please stick with me – it will all get better at the end, I promise :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 22: Destroyed, Part One<strong>

* * *

><p>It was one of the coldest nights Ginny could remember. The storm had started mid-afternoon, and by now the thick swirl of snow outside was blotting out the moonlight, and the wind cut harshly against the windowpanes. Ginny had pulled her long sofa up as close to the fire as she could and was huddled under a thick checkered blanket, reading. It was some Muggle book Hermione had lent her…some kind of Victorian romance. It was a lot better than she had expected.<p>

A sharp tap on the window startled her, and she looked up to see a small ball of fluff struggling to maintain its position outside against the onslaught of the storm.

She disentangled herself from her blankets and let the owl in. Cold air rushed in from outside, and she quickly shut the window again.

"Poor bird," she said soothingly. "There, go on to the fire," she added, pulling the mail from its leg. The creature shuffled its wings to dislodge some of the ice on its feathers and glided stiffly over to the fireplace. The envelope was dry – a waterproofing spell. Ginny flicked it open and pulled out the parchment. Her stomach plummeted as she read.

_Ginny, have you seen H? DE was found dead this morning, and H hasn't responded to any of my owls. I'm worried he's done something rash. Please tell him to contact me, and if you find him, don't let him out of your sight. – Ron_

The note slipped from Ginny's fingers. Oh, Merlin, this was going to kill him. Almost as soon as the thought crossed her mind, panic set in. Harry blamed himself for everything; he always had. Especially this case. Who knew what he might do, what crazy suicide revenge mission he might embark on? Right now, this very second, he might be getting himself killed.

Her heart pounding now, she thrust her blanket aside and ran from the room. She took the stairs two at a time. Maybe her instincts were wrong; maybe he was still in his own room. She knocked hard on the door, but there was no answer. She didn't dare just open it…knowing Harry, he had a dozen very nasty wards up.

"Harry, open the door! If you're in there, open the bloody door!" she called, knocking harder. No answer.

Thrusting a piece of hair away from her face, she rushed through the halls to McGonagall's office. The wiry woman was pacing her office. The Floo was high in her grate, but it subsided as soon as Ginny walked in. McGonagall turned sharply.

"I'm sorry to barge in like this, Professor," Ginny said quickly, breathing hard, "But I'm looking for Harry. He's not in his rooms…do you know where he might be right now?"

"I'm looking for him as well," McGonagall said, "I was just speaking with Minister Shacklebolt, who informed me of the tragic death of Danny Eckhart. He was concerned that Mr. Potter was not answering any of his owls. I assume that's what you're here about?"

Ginny swallowed. "Yeah, my brother owled me as well. He's worried Harry might have done something rash."

McGonagall nodded gravely. "Mr. Potter did not attend his classes this afternoon, and several students have reported seeing him leaving the grounds this morning. I think we have every reason to worry."

Ginny's stomach dropped. "Leaving the grounds?" she whispered. She bit her lip. "Is there anything we can do to find him?"

McGonagall shook her head, placing a hand lightly on her shoulder. "Unfortunately, no. As you can imagine, Mr. Potter is very adept at covering his tracks." The older woman sighed heavily. "We will simply have to wait."

* * *

><p>Ginny spent the rest of the night dashing off increasingly angry owls to Harry, but she had little hope of a response. She frustratedly paced the hall outside his room for an hour, but he didn't show up, and she didn't hear any movement inside. Finally, around eleven o'clock, she gave up and headed back to her room to Floo Ron and Hermione.<p>

"Ginny! Have you heard anything?" Ron's panicked face filled the fire and Ginny rubbed her eyes.

"No, I just went to his rooms. He wasn't answering. And then I went to see McGonagall, and she said that he was seen leaving the grounds this morning and he missed all of his afternoon classes."

"Damnit!" Ron swore loudly. "I could've used at least one bit of good news after this nightmare of a day. Everyone in the department is completely broken up about this. For a kid to die, and after everything was supposed to be over…we just wanted to bloody prove to ourselves that everything was better again. And now, Harry goes and…," he swore again.

Hermione put a comforting hand on his shoulder and nudged him over so that she could speak. "Ginny? We've been sending him owls all day, but he hasn't been answering."

"I can't _believe_ him!" Ginny fumed, screwing the bases of her palms into her eyes in frustration. "After everything that's happened, he's going to go throw away his life on this one case!"

"The bloody idiot!" Ron said loudly, "I'm am going to wring his bloody neck when I see him!"

"We don't know that he's throwing away his life. He's an extremely powerful wizard," Hermione said, trying to keep them calm, "And I'm sure he could handle a cell of rogue Death Eaters if he had to." She cleared her throat. "Admittedly, that wouldn't be the smartest thing to do, but _even if_ he's gone on some revenge mission, he might still come out of it all right."

"Don't try to defend him, Hermione," Ginny cut in. "There's a whole bloody Auror department that does this for a living. He doesn't have to be the hero _every single time_."

"It was a kid, Ginny," Hermione said slowly. "It was a tough case for everyone. And Harry…well, you know how he is."

"It's not just that," Ron said suddenly, his voice soft. He looked up at them. "Danny's body. They pinned a note to it…they said they'd keep going after children until Harry Potter either surrendered himself to them or was killed in action."

"Ron…," Hermione whispered, obviously surprised by this news. "You didn't tell him about that…did you?"

Ron exhaled sharply. "I didn't know," he groaned, "He told me to give him all the information! I didn't think he was going to crack up over this!"

"Ron! How could you! You know how he is! You should have know he wouldn't be able to sit back and let that happen!" Hermione yelled.

"I'm sorry, okay!" Ron answered, burying his face in his hands. "I didn't know!"

Ginny swallowed hard and suddenly felt incredibly light-headed. She shut her eyes hard.

"Ginny, are you all right?" Hermione said suddenly. "Ginny?"

Ginny shook herself. "Yeah," she managed.

"Ginny," Hermione continued, lowering her voice. "Why don't you just go to bed? There's nothing we can do at this point. We'll Floo you if we hear anything, all right? And you let us know if you hear from him?"

Ginny nodded. "All right." She sat back and shut her eyes again as the fire died down. Her mind was racing and she felt like everything was spinning around her. Damnit, Harry! He was such a stupid, noble git! And here she was, as always, waiting to see if he would come out of it alive. She pulled herself onto the couch and settled the blankets back around her. And the last thought that crossed her mind before sleep came over her was that she was tired of Harry Bleeding Potter making her feel so helpless.

* * *

><p>A hard banging on her door woke her, and she sat up straight, suddenly completely awake. A quick glance at the glowing clock on her wall told her it was a little past two o'clock. The fire had died down in the grate, and she stumbled a little as she went to the door. She pulled it open and light filtered into the room from the hall outside.<p>

Harry stood before her, his hair sticking out at odd angles and his clothes dripping with melting snow.

"Harry!" Her first instinct was to slap him across the face for worrying them all and being a complete idiot, but then she noticed the way he was leaning heavily against the doorframe. "Merlin, are you injured? Come inside," she said quickly, pulling him into the room and shutting the door behind them. She murmered a quick spell and the fire burst back to life in the grate. Illuminated, Harry looked worse than she had feared. There were no visible wounds, but his face was pale and drawn and the rims of his eyes were red. And he was incredibly cold. His skin felt as if it had been out in the storm for hours.

"Harry," she repeated, gripping him hard by the shoulders. "Are you injured?"

He shook his head, and she sighed with relief. When he spoke, his voice came out gravelly and shaky, and Ginny knew that if they didn't act quickly he would come down with pneumonia or worse over the next few days. "I'm sorry, I know I'm not supposed to be here," he choked, and Ginny felt her heart wrench. "But I didn't know…."

"Shhh, shhh, it's okay," she said gently, biting back all of her admonishments for the moment, "I'm just glad you're back. We were all worried sick about you. We've got to get you warm, okay?" she added soothingly. "Take your coat off." She led him slowly across the room to the fire. His fingers were shaking, fumbling at the coat zipper, so she reached over to help him shed the heavy coat. His clothes were soaked through beneath.

"Oh, Harry," she whispered under her breath, "Why didn't you use that rain repellant spell you showed me?"

He exhaled sharply, and Ginny thought that it might have been a small laugh under different circumstances. "Didn't think of it," he muttered through chattering teeth.

She helped him pull his t-shirt over his head. "Take off all of the wet things and wrap the blanket around yourself, okay?" She turned away as he reached for his pants and went into the bathroom. She turned the bath faucet to blazing and soaked all of the towels in her cupboard in the hot water. When she brought them back out, Harry was sitting on the floor in front of the fire and had pulled the blankets up around him.

She unwrapped them from his upper body for a moment and began to wrap the warm towels around his chest and stomach. "Merlin, Harry, you're freezing," she murmered as her fingers brushed his skin. He sighed at the warm cloth on his body, and she pulled the blankets back over his shoulders. "Here, lean back against the couch," she said, pulling the sofa forward a bit so that he could lean his back against it. "Do you feel a bit warmer?"

"Yeah," he breathed, shutting his eyes heavily.

"Good," she said. "I'm just going to Floo Ron and Hermione to let them know you're here, okay?"

He nodded stiffly.

Ron came to the fireplace with dark rings under his eyes, and Ginny knew he had barely slept tonight.

"He's here with me," Ginny said shortly, and intense relief registered in Ron's eyes before they darted to where Harry was sitting beside her, his eyes still shut tight. Ron opened his mouth, but Ginny cut in. "It's probably not the best time for a lecture, Ron. He'll Floo you in the morning. Can you just let McGonagall and Kingsley know that he's safe?"

Ron looked like he was about to protest, but then he swallowed and nodded. "All right. But you better Floo me tomorrow, mate," he said sternly. With one last quick nod to Ginny, he left the grate. Ginny sat back and sighed.

She regarded Harry silently for a moment. The color seemed to be returning somewhat to his cheeks. "Do you want to tell me what happened?" she said finally.

Harry opened his eyes to stare into the fire, but he was silent for a long time. Ginny watched his profile in the flickering light. He sighed heavily and shut his eyes again, and she felt her heart twist for him. She reached across the space between them and put her hand over his.

They sat like that for a long time – Ginny didn't know how long. Finally, she watched his head begin to droop. "All right, let's get you into bed," she said softly, helping him stand.

"I can go back to my room," Harry said, his voice barely a whisper.

"No," Ginny said firmly, guiding him toward her bed. "You're staying here where I can keep an eye on you. I don't trust you not to leave again."

Harry didn't protest, and he let Ginny settle him into the bed. She peeled the damp towels off his chest and abdomen and tucked the blankets firmly around him. "All right?" she said.

He nodded, and she turned toward the sofa.

"I went to see the Eckharts this morning, after Ron told me what happened," he said suddenly. Ginny paused, her hand on the post of the canopy bed. She turned slowly. "Danny's parents," Harry continued. He let out a low sigh. "I wanted to…to tell them that I'm sorry." His breath hitched on the last word, and Ginny got onto the bed and lay down gently beside him. She turned onto her side to look at him, but she didn't say anything.

"They told me it wasn't my fault, of course. That's what everyone keeps telling me. But they showed me pictures of him, from before he disappeared, and I couldn't help thinking that I'm the one they really wanted. They as good as said so in that note that they…that they pinned to his body." Ginny felt him clench him fists around the sheets under the blanket. She put her hand over the blanket to cover his fist, and his chest convulsed a little with a dry sob.

"So then I went after them," he said when he had recovered himself. "I went to where the body was found…the storm was starting, and I knew that as soon as it got bad, we'd have no chance at all of tracking them. I followed the tracks east for about a mile, but then the snow came, and I couldn't go any farther…." He paused and swallowed hard.

"Damnit, Ginny!" he continued suddenly, his voice rising, "It was supposed to be over! All of this – it was all supposed to be over when I killed him."

"Shh," Ginny soothed, "Do you want the truth, Harry?"

He nodded tightly. "It'll never be totally over," she said seriously, "There'll always be dark wizards and bad people out there who will want to do horrible things. Now, because of what you did, we'll be able to stop most of them. But sometimes…sometimes they'll succeed. And it'll be tragic and terrible, like Danny's death. But you will never be able to stop them all, Harry. It's impossible. And you have to accept that. You can't be everyone's hero."

Harry didn't answer for a long time. He just stared at the canopy above, and Ginny watched a single frustrated tear course down his temple. After a while, his fist loosened and his hand lay flat against the bed under her own.

"Sleep, Harry," she said softly. "You need to get some rest or else you're going to get very sick."

Harry nodded and dutifully shut his eyes. She lay there beside him until his breathing slowed and his chest was moving steadily up and down. Then she rose quietly and went to the sofa. She lay down and stared at the ceiling for several minutes, but before long, her eyes drooped, and she fell into a fitful sleep. She dreamt of Harry alone in the snow and of that one tear against his skin.

* * *

><p>She woke groggily a few hours later when the first rays of sunlight began to shine into the room. The storm seemed to have cleared in the night. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Harry was lying in the bed, the blankets pulled almost all the way over his face and one arm flung across the bed. She went over and put a hand to his forehead. Damn. He was burning up. He shifted a little at her touch, but he didn't wake, and she stepped back. He needed to rest as much as he could.<p>

She went to the fire, which was low by now. A flick of her wand brought it back in full force, and she Floo'd Ron and Hermione.

This time, Hermione answered. Her hair was a fluffy, curled mess, and she ran her fingers through it self-consciously as she spoke. "How's Harry doing?" she said.

"He's all right," Ginny said. "He went to see Danny's parents yesterday, and then he went to try to track the Death Eaters before the snow came and covered their tracks. He was freezing when he came back last night, and soaked through. He has a fever this morning."

Hermione sighed heavily. "Are you going to take him to the hospital wing?"

"Yeah, as soon as he wakes up. I want to let him sleep as much as he can. But I'll probably go see Poppy before classes to see if I should give him a draught or anything in the meantime."

Hermione nodded thoughtfully. "You better Floo McGonagall and tell her he can't teach today, too."

"Yeah," Ginny said. "Thanks for reminding me."

"He ought to have just joined the Aurors straightaway," Hermione sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"I thought it would be good for him to teach for a while and rest," she replied. "But instead he's just been obsessing about everything he's _not_ doing in the Aurors. It's making everything worse."

Ginny nodded slowly. "Bloody Death Eaters," swore Hermione, who never swore. "Why can't they just know they're beaten when they're beaten."

Ginny didn't have an answer to that, and after a moment Hermione sighed again and looked up. "All right, well I have to start getting ready for work. I'll probably come see Harry afterward, and Ron too if he can get off training for a few hours. He's got a few things to say to that boy," she added. Ginny laughed a little as Hermione left the grate.

She Floo'd McGonagall next, who said it was perfectly fine for Harry to miss his classes today but that she would have to have a stern chat with him when he was well again. "Why don't I have Poppy come by your rooms to check on Mr. Potter a little later? She can let you know if he needs to be brought to the hospital wing," the Headmistress added just before closing the connection.

Ginny stood and brushed the soot off of her knees. She went to the bathroom and splashed some water in her face. She was just drying the water away with a towel when there was a sharp knock on the door. Could it be Madam Pomfrey already? She glanced over at Harry as she threaded her way across the room to the door. He was still sleeping soundly. She pulled the door open, a finger already to her lips to tell whoever it was to be as quiet as they could.

"Draco!" she exclaimed.

"Hi," he said brightly, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

"What are you doing here?" she said, still a little shocked. Somehow, after everything that had happened last night, Draco was the last person she had been expecting to see.

"I got an owl last night from Yarnley. He wanted to know if we were available for dinner tonight. Apparently most of the office is going. But you'd have to leave around four, and I wasn't sure what your class schedule's like today, so I figured I'd drop by on my way to the office…I thought maybe we could get breakfast before I head off to—."

"Mmmm…." Harry's feverish groan filtered out from inside the room.

Draco's smile dissolved in an instant, and before Ginny's mind could even register what was happening, he pressed his palm hard against the door and forced it all the way open. She stumbled back a little, and as she regained her balance, his eyes raked over the scene in one hard sweep – the clothing strewn across her floor, her own disheveled appearance, and most damning of all, Harry, tousled and shirtless, asleep in her bed.

"Draco, it's not what it looks—." He turned on her, and his gaze morphed so quickly from agonized pain to all-encompassing rage that the breath was physically knocked from her body. Then, before she could speak, he turned on his heel and walked away.

"Draco, wait—," she protested, running after him down the hall. He didn't turn around, and his pace quickened until they were outside and crossing the grounds, the wind whipping around them.

"Wait!" She caught up with him and grabbed on to his arm, but he pulled bodily away from her.

"Draco, for Merlin's sake, I didn't sleep with him!" she cried.

At that, he whirled around, his expression acid. "Don't you _dare_," he spat, shoving her hands away. "Don't you _dare_ pull that bullshit with me, Ginny Weasley!"

"It's the truth!" Ginny insisted loudly. "He—."

Suddenly, he grabbed her by her upper arms, his grip so tight that she winced. "And do you know what really gets me," he hissed, "You let me say all of those things, you let me bloody _thank you_ for staying away from him!" He laughed ironically.

"He was sick, and I—," she protested, yelling now. He had to listen to her.

But with a sharp movement, he pushed her away. She stumbled back, another retort on her lips, but then he thrust his hand into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out a small box. "I've been carrying this around for weeks," he spat venomously, tossing it to the ground beside her, "I thought I was going to need it." He fixed her with one more hate-filled look. "But it turns out you're nothing more than a liar."

"Wait, Draco—," she cried, reaching out to grab his arm. She didn't care if she was splinched. He had to let her tell the truth. But her fingers just felt air, and in a moment, he was gone.

She fell hard on her knees in the grass, unable to process what had just happened. Her fingertips brushed against the box, and she picked it up and opened it. A diamond in a gold setting.

An engagement ring.


	24. Destroyed, Part Two

**Chapter 23: Destroyed, Part Two**

* * *

><p>"I went to his office, I went to our flat, I went to the Manor. I don't know where he is," Ginny sighed, rubbing her hands agitatedly over her face.<p>

"Drink this," Hermione said, squeezing her shoulder and proffering a steaming mug. "You've had a rough twenty-four hours."

"No thanks," she replied quickly, waving it away. "I don't want any Pepper-Up right now."

"Are you sure?" the older girl said gently.

"No," Ginny insisted. "I won't be able to sleep. Pepper-Up always does that to me."

Hermione nodded and set the cup down on the small table at Harry's bedside. Madam Pomfrey had decided to move him to the Hospital Wing. He had woken for several hours in the middle of the day, but he was exhausted and feverish, and he'd fallen asleep early. Poppy had him on a potion regimen that she assured them would have him better by the end of the week.

"I'm sure Draco will turn up, Ginny," Hermione said.

Ginny shook her head. "You didn't see his face…hear what he said." She cringed as the image of Draco's furious expression flashed in her mind. "He was so angry, Hermione."

"Yes, but he doesn't have all the information," Hermione insisted. "Once you explain it to him, he'll realize it was all just a misunderstanding."

"Yeah, but if I can't find him, I won't be able to explain anything."

"He shouldn't have just walked out like that," Hermione replied, brow furrowing, "It was wrong of him not to let you explain. I'm surprised you're not more angry."

Reflexively, Ginny gripped the small box – the engagement ring – in her coat pocket. After the initial shock had worn off, she _had_ been angry. Seething, really. How dare he just Apparate away without letting her tell him the truth! But the anger had faded quickly. He had been carrying the ring around for weeks. He had been planning to propose. How could she be angry with him when she knew that? And, she had to admit to herself, it must have looked so horrible to him. Harry in her bed, his close on the floor…she put a hand to her temple and shut her eyes.

Hermione seemed to notice her dejected expression. "He'll turn up," she repeated, nodding determinedly. "Don't worry."

But Ginny wasn't so sure.

* * *

><p><em>One week later<em>

Ginny streaked across the Quidditch pitch, her hair surging behind her and the cold air stinging in her throat and down to her lungs. As she approached the goal post, she twisted the Quaffle up from under her arm, thrust it forcefully through the hoop, and pulled her broom left and down to catch the ball on its way to the ground.

She still hadn't heard from Draco, and her occasional visits to their flat had yielded no clues to his whereabouts. It looked like he hadn't been there for days. She'd gone to his office four times, but his co-workers said he'd taken leave, and he hadn't said when he would be coming back. She sighed with frustration and twisted uncomfortably in her heavy winter coat; it was near impossible to maneuver in this thing. Irritated, she fumbled for the zipper with stiff fingers.

"Don't take that off." Harry's voice was loud behind her, carried to her ears by the strong wind. "You'll freeze."

She turned her broom to face him. She'd visited him every day when he was in the Hospital Wing, but after he'd been released mid-week, she hadn't seen or spoken to him. Now he was gliding easily on his own broom – the latest Nimbus model, by the looks of it, and Ginny couldn't help but feel a little twinge of awed envy.

"You look better," she said, tossing the Quaffle from hand to hand.

"Yeah, thanks to you," he replied.

She shot him a skeptical look. "Thanks to Madam Pomfrey."

He nodded in acknowledgement and smiled. "Yeah. Her potion really worked." She forced a smile back.

"I just wanted to thank you for everything…from that night," he continued awkwardly. "I know we haven't seen a lot of each other lately, and that I really shouldn't have come to you…."

"Don't be ridiculous, Harry," she said impatiently. She didn't want to be thanked for that night. She didn't want to think about that night...and its consequences. That was the whole point of being out on the pitch, throwing the Quaffle around in the freezing cold.

His brow furrowed, and she immediately regretted her sharp tone. He was just trying to thank her, after all. "Sorry," she said quickly, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "What I meant to say was, you're welcome. Anytime."

"Well, hopefully not again," he said sheepishly.

"Are you feeling any better, though?" Ginny asked. "About the case, I mean."

Harry sighed heavily and looked away. "It was a really tough case for me, especially since I couldn't do anything about it," he answered. "But I'm certainly not proud of my reaction. It was a gut thing, you know, to go after them like that. And then by the time I got back I think I was already so delirious that I didn't know what was going on. I shouldn't have come to your room like that. It was rude and inconsiderate…especially considering what you said about us…," he trailed off.

"It's fine, Harry," she said briskly.

"Okay," he said awkwardly. "I guess I should go, then. You should really come in soon, too, though," he added. "It's really too cold to be out here."

"In a while," she replied. He nodded and turned away. But he only flew a few feet through the air before he hesitated. He ran an agitated hand through his hair, and Ginny knew, like she always did, that he was trying to decide whether or not to say something. She waited.

Finally, he nodded determinedly to himself and turned back to face her. "Look, Gin," he said, meeting her eyes. "Hermione told me what happened…with Malfoy. And I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry that that happened."

"It's okay, Harry," she said, trying to interrupt him, but he pressed on, almost rambling now, and his expression was all concern.

"You have to know that I didn't mean for any of that to happen. I was so worked up about Danny, and I just remembered you comforting about the case…before…and so I just showed up at your door. And I wasn't thinking about what the consequences of that might be for you…."

"Harry," she said sharply, and this time, he fell silent. "It's really all right, you don't have to apologize. And anyway," she added wryly, "You blaming yourself for everything is what got us into this mess in the first place, isn't it?"

Harry held her gaze searchingly for a moment, but she didn't look away. Finally, he sighed heavily. "All right," he said. "I'll go, then." She nodded and turned back toward the goal posts, and moments later she heard him land and start trekking back across the crunching snow.

* * *

><p>Draco Malfoy slammed the Prophet back onto the table, his hands clenching into hard fists. He exhaled harshly and stalked across the room, trying hard to keep himself from punching any hard surface within arm's reach. The hotel staff had been very forgiving the first night – Merlin knows he was paying through the nose to stay here – but he knew they wouldn't react well to more damaged property.<p>

He shut his eyes hard, wishing for the hundredth time this week that he knew a spell that could get rid of the images seared across the hollows of his eyelids. Ginny smiling gently at him as he thanked her for ending her friendship with Harry Bloody Potter. That same Potter naked in her bed – the bed he and Ginny had shared once a week for months. He felt the bile rise in her throat, and he gripped the edge of the desk and exhaled again. And now, this morning's Prophet article – newly "discovered" photos from Harry and Ginny's Hogwarts relationship all those years ago. The image of Potter snogging a younger Ginny in a dark corner of the castle, his fingers trailing along the waistband of her skirt, made the anger burn white-hot in Draco's stomach. The Prophet didn't know just how relevant their article was, he thought wryly.

There was a knock on the door. "Do not disturb!" he snapped. He was not in the mood to deal with _anyone_ right now.

"Draco, open the damn door." He recognized the impatient voice and swore aloud. How in Merlin's name had she found him?

"Sod off, Parkinson!" he yelled.

"Open the door or I'll call security and say you're burning all the priceless paintings in there."

Draco looked around. The paintings in this suite probably _were_ priceless, though he hadn't even glanced at them since he'd been here. It was the most expensive room in the hotel, after all.

"I'm busy," he snapped, but he flicked his wand to unlock the door.

"I heard from Lexbrook at your office that you hadn't come in all week," she said, walking easily into the room, her heels clicking against the wood floor. "And my father knows the owner of this hotel, who of course was happy to tell me that you're hiding out here. Merlin knows why," she added.

"What do you want?" he responded harshly.

"It seems spending years with the Weasley brood has done nothing to improve your hospitality," she returned coolly.

"Don't mention the Weasleys," Draco said, meeting her eyes coldly to warn her away from the topic.

She regarded him, eyebrows raised, for a full second, then she tilted her head back and laughed. "So that's what this is about, is it?" she said.

"Get out, Pansy," he snapped.

"What happened?" she asked nonchalantly, crossing the room and selecting an apple from the bowl of fruit on the table. "Did she finally sleep with Potter?"

"I said get out," he said again, gritting his teeth.

She looked over at him again, and he knew she could read the truth on his face. It was still too raw for him to hide it, and he wanted to kick himself. "So she did," Pansy said. She threw her head back and laughed again, a tinkling laugh that infuriated him further. "I can't say I'm surprised."

He crossed the room and gripped her hard by the arms. "It isn't funny," he snarled. "I'm in love with her. I was going to propose to her."

Anger flashed in Pansy's eyes and she glared back at him. "You should know better than to try to marry for love," she hissed derisively, "When has that ever worked?"

Fierceness flared between them like a charge, and Draco felt a vengeful impulse grip his chest. Ginny had been sleeping with Potter, probably for months, and had betrayed their relationship with a sweet smile on her face and lies on her lips. It would be easy – almost too easy, he thought – to get her back. He looked down at Parkinson's lips, moist and slightly parted, inches away.

It would be so easy.

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later, when her cheeks were stinging and her fingers were almost completely numb, Ginny headed back into the warmth of the castle. She started a high fire in the grate and took a steaming shower. Finally, dressed in her pajama bottoms and a long-sleeved thermal, she collapsed onto the sofa and took up the book Hermione had lent her. She flexed her stiff fingers and forced herself to focus on the words.<p>

Draco couldn't stay away from his office forever. She would try again next week, and every day thereafter until she cornered him and forced him to listen to the truth of what had happened. That's all that needed to happen, she assured herself. It was just one big – monstrously huge, really – misunderstanding.

Suddenly, the fire before her burst into green flames, and Ron's upper body bobbed before her.

"Ginny?"

She set her book aside and slid off the sofa and onto the floor before the fire. "Hi, Ron," she said, "Is everything all right?"

"I saw him," her brother replied shortly, and Ginny felt her heart leap in her chest.

"Where?" she asked quickly, flicking her wand and Summoning a pair of jeans.

"I was at lunch with some mates from work," he explained, "And I saw him go into The Veil – you know, that swanky hotel downtown? I had half a mind to follow him in there and give him a piece of my mind for pulling a runner on you, but I thought you might hex me for interfering."

Ginny snorted. "For once, Ronald Weasley letting me handle my own business?"

Ron fixed her with a look of mock offense. "When have I ever butted my nose in your business?"

Ginny laughed and rolled her eyes. "Only every day of my life," she muttered. "Thanks," she added. "And he didn't pull a runner on me."

Ron looked at her skeptically. "Whatever you say. Just go sort it out, will you? I think I've had my fair share of missing persons this month, thanks very much."

"Thanks again, Ron," she said. As soon as he had disappeared, she threw on her jeans, grabbed her coat, and rushed from the room. On the way out the door she grabbed the small box and shoved it deep into her pocket, and she felt a twinge of optimism. She finally knew where he was, and all she had to do now was make him listen. Her fingers ran over the velvet fabric of the box, thinking of the ring inside.

If all went well, maybe she would come back wearing it.

* * *

><p>The receptionist told her the room number, and she took the elevator to the top floor of the hotel. She knocked firmly on the door, nervous anticipation rising in her chest. She gripped the ring box hard in her pocket. Draco opened the door slowly, and the words spilled quickly from her mouth.<p>

"Please don't slam the door in my face!" she pleaded. She took in the dark hollows under his eyes, the weary set of his face, and swallowed.

He looked at her with hard eyes, his fingers twitching at his side. "What the hell do you want, Ginny?" he said finally, voice dangerously low. "I thought I made it clear that I don't want to hear whatever you have to say."

"It wasn't what it looked like, you have to believe me," she said, putting a desperate hand on the door in case he tried to shut her out.

"I don't want to hear it," he snapped, voice rising. She barreled on.

"Danny Eckhart was found dead that morning," she said, holding his gaze. "He was distraught. We couldn't find him all day. McGonagall and the entire Auror Department were panicking, and –."

She was cut off by a voice calling out from behind him. The words died in her throat.

"Draco! Do you have an extra towel? I can't find one!" And Ginny heard the shower turn off – she couldn't believe she hadn't heard the sound of the water before. She gripped the doorway to steady herself as she looked past him to see a dripping wet Pansy Parkinson enter the room, holding her dress up to cover herself.

"Oh!" Pansy exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand, and backing quickly out of the room. But Ginny saw it – the momentary gleam in the other girl's eyes, the expression that flashed across Pansy's face so quickly it could have almost been imagined – _triumph_.

The world blurred around her, and she felt the tears start in her chest.

"Ginny…," Draco said haltingly.

Her hand came up almost reflexively and she slapped him hard across the face. "Don't!" she snapped, backing away from him until the backs of her legs met the wall across the hall.

Anger crossed his face in a wave. "You're going to pull that devastated girlfriend act on me?" he laughed mockingly. "Don't you _dare_ pretend you didn't already destroy this!" he yelled, gesturing between them.

"Don't try to put this on me!" she shouted back, pushing down the tears. She was _not_ going to cry right now. "I was just going to tell you that I let Harry sleep in my bed because he was sick! I was just going to _tell_ you that I slept on the bloody sofa! I was just going to _tell _you that nothing happened – that nothing has _ever happened_ between us! I was going to tell you that I love _you_, and that this," she fumbled in her pocket and thrust the box into his hands, "is a beautiful ring. And I was going to tell you that if you had asked me, I would have said yes!"

As she spoke, Draco made an odd sound in his throat, half sigh and half sob, and his whole body seemed to slump against the doorway. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words were flooding from her mouth, and she had to keep talking because the tears were rising into her throat, faster and faster, and she knew she wouldn't be able to keep them at bay for long.

"But you didn't let me say any of that! You just ran off and decided to sleep with Pansy without even letting me tell you what really happened! This is on you! _You_ destroyed us!" she finished, her chest heaving.

She looked up at him, blinking against the tears that had reached her eyes, and she gave him a moment – the longest moment of her life – to deny it. To deny all of it. But he didn't. He just stared at her, stunned, his lips slightly parted and his pale cheeks flushed. Her heart twisted so hard in her chest that she felt the pain throb all the way to her fingertips. She choked on an ironic laugh, and the anger welled up inside her and burst out of her mouth in the statement that she knew would hurt him more than anything else she could say.

"You know, everyone told me I was crazy to date you. They told me I should be with Harry, that he was right for me. But I _defended you_ – I told them that you were just as noble, just as _good_ as him. But you know what, Draco," she said, the tears streaming down her face now, "_I was wrong_. Because Harry would _never_ have done something like this!"

She watched the words hit Draco like a physical blow, just as she'd known they would. Then she watched his body stiffen and his expression harden, just as she'd known they would. The gaze he turned on her was stony with contempt.

"Go running back to him then, if he's so much better than me," he hissed.

She swiped at the tears on her face and met his eyes. "It's over, Draco," she whispered harshly.

His eyes flashed. "You know what, Ginny?" he said back, voice cold. "I think you're right about that."

And with that, he stepped back into the hotel room and slammed the door.

She got all the way down the hall and into the elevator before she collapsed, sobs wracking her body.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I know, I know, you hate me. It was painful to do, but it had to be done, and you have to trust me when I say it will all be resolved at the end.<strong>

**Now, for those of you who are now in desperate need of DG love, I will shamelessly tell you that I just posted a DG one-shot called "everything" that I think you'll really enjoy. So head on over there and bask in the DG love!**

**And as always, please review! But be gentle :)**


	25. Not Like This

**Author's Note:** Thank you all so much for the wonderful (and gentle!) reviews for the last two chapters. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to reply to all of you this time around…I've been pretty busy with midterms and studying and I wanted to spend all my free time getting you the next chapter! However, **kiera14** sent me two very important questions (she also sent me her email address to reply, but FFnet blocks email addresses from going through). One of them I don't want to answer (hehe), but I think it would be helpful for me to answer the other one here:

1. Is this where the story starts to diverge?

No, it won't diverge for four or five more chapters, and I'll let you know in the A/N before it happens. Also, to clarify, when it diverges, I will be posting two chapters simultaneously (one chapter from each ending) until the end so that you can watch the two endings happen in parallel.

ALL RIGHT…after that uber-long author's note…on to the story! :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 24: Not Like This<strong>

* * *

><p>Ginny's hands were shaking hard and her body was heaving with sobs when she finally pushed open the door of her room and collapsed inside. Clenching her fist tightly around her wand, she threw Silencing Charms at all four walls. For a moment she stood there, next to the fire, biting her lip hard and exhaling deeply between her teeth, trying to calm herself. But the tears kept flowing, and the waves of pain kept rising up from her stomach to her chest, drumming against her heart. Finally she just allowed herself to fall back onto the bed. She curled up into herself, and let the sobs overtake her.<p>

She didn't know how long she lay there, but a hard knock on the door pulled her forcibly from the haze. She ignored it, willing herself to sink back into mindless tears. Another knock, louder this time. Her frustration flared. "Not now, please!" she yelled sharply.

"Ginny." The voice was quiet, but just loud enough to filter through the door.

She squeezed her eyes shut against the tears. "Harry, please go away," she called back, but she couldn't keep her voice from hitching on the last word, and she knew he had heard. She wanted to kick herself.

"Ginny, please let me in." He paused. "Don't make me break the door down."

She thought she heard a touch of attempted humor in his voice at the last bit. He was joking. Probably. With a sigh, she swung herself off the bed and stumbled to the door. She paused, hand on the knob, and swiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand. Maybe if she could just keep herself under control, she could convince him to leave. She didn't want to talk about what had happened.

"Hi, Harry," she said, trying to force down the tears. "Now's not really a good time."

Harry's gaze swept over her in a moment and then he met her eyes; the bright green pierced straight the façade. "You forgot to put a Silencing Charm on the ceiling," he said softly.

Ginny bit her lip and clenched her fist hard at her side. "It's nothing, Harry," she managed through gritted teeth. "I don't want to talk about it."

He regarded her silently for a moment, not breaking eye contact. "All right," he said finally, brow furrowing ever so slightly, "You don't have to talk about it. But at least let me come in and make you some tea." She hesitated. Tea always made her feel better…Harry knew that. He walked past her into the room.

Ginny sighed. "I said now's not a good time, Harry," she repeated slowly, but it was half-hearted. He was already grabbing a mug and opening the box of tea bags.

He looked over his shoulder at her, expression serious. "I've known you for years, Gin," he said, "And I haven't seen you cry since you were eleven." He set down the mug and came closer, putting a warm, heavy hand on her shoulder. His eyes searched hers. "I'll go if you want, but I just want to make sure you're all right," he finished softly.

She immediately felt her heart constrict, and she sank onto the sofa. "No," she said, exhaling, "Stay."

He nodded and turned back to the tea. He said a quick spell to fill the mug with steaming water. "Milk and two sugars, right?"

She nodded, surprised he still remembered. "Careful, it's hot," he said, handing the cup over and sitting down beside her. She took a tentative sip – it was the perfect temperature – and then a bigger gulp. The hot liquid immediately filled her belly, warming her. Her gaze flicked back up to Harry, who was watching her, concern evident in his eyes.

"You haven't asked me what happened," she observed softly, curling her legs up under her.

"You said you didn't want to talk about it," he replied quietly.

Ginny swallowed hard. "Pansy Parkinson was there when I got there. They had slept together. We broke up," she said shortly. Just saying the words made the tears start to prick in her eyes again, and she swiped at them with one hand.

"Oh, Ginny…," Harry whispered. "I'm so sorry." His arm reach out to wrap around her, but he jerked it back suddenly, as if he had thought better of it.

Ginny felt a hard stab of something dangerous in her stomach. Her own words to Draco flashed through her mind: _Harry would never have done something like this_. He was so incredibly kind to her, and he was sitting there now in an old t-shirt and jeans, running a hand through his hair in that familiar gesture. But even more important than that in this moment, he wanted her. She had seen it in the way his hand had just jerked back. He was aching to hold her, to comfort her. And best of all, she knew he could make her forget everything that had just happened. The "something" morphed into a heady impulsiveness, and, without giving herself any time to think about what she was about to do, Ginny went for broke. She set the mug on the table and in one quick movement, she leaned across the space between them and pressed her lips desperately against his.

Harry stiffened in shock, but then his body reacted. His lips pushed back against hers. Hard. And just as she had hoped, all the thoughts were gone. Her mind went blank.

Ginny's arms came up around his neck and she was forcibly reminded of how much she had once loved kissing Harry Potter.

But suddenly, he froze. He jolted away from her, and Ginny immediately felt her stomach drop as the thoughts flooded her mind again and the pain started to seep back into her.

"Ginny, we can't," Harry whispered, breathing hard. He shook himself and ran an agitated hand across the back of his neck. "I want to, don't get me wrong, but…not like this…." He stood, stepped away from the sofa, and paced in a wide loop around the room, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.

She felt the tears rising again, and this time, she couldn't hold them back. She sat up and swiped at them with the back of her hand. "Why not?" she asked softly.

Harry came back to stand before her and met her eyes. He smiled ruefully and brushed a tear from her cheek with his thumb. "Well, for one thing, you're crying."

Ginny swallowed. "Yeah," she managed, "Not exactly the most romantic thing in the world."

"Yeah, if there's one thing I learned at Hogwarts, it's that kissing crying girls never leads to anything good," he chuckled.

She forced a smile and pressed the bottoms of her palms against her eyes. "Merlin, I'm such a mess," she mumbled.

He sighed and sank down beside her again, but this time, though he hesitated for a fraction of a second, his arm came around her and he ran his hand gently up and down her shoulder. She curled into him, her cheek pressing against his chest, and his hand came up to stroke her hair. The gentleness triggered another wave of tears, and she felt her body begin to rattle with the force of it.

"It's okay, Gin," Harry said soothingly. "You can cry. It's okay..."

She cried in his arms for what felt like hours but was probably only minutes. The image of Pansy, fresh from the shower, and Draco's shocked gaze kept flashing across her mind…she screwed her eyes shut tight, but she couldn't keep them out. How could he have done that to her? He hadn't let her explain! He had disappeared! And now it was over, and it turned out that the three long years of their relationship added up to nothing at all.

Finally, the heaving sobs began to subside, to be replaced by a heavy tiredness. Harry seemed to notice her drooping. "All right," he said softly, "Let's get you to bed." He helped her into bed and tucked the covers around her. The blackness of a deadened sleep began to seep in around her. And the last thing she remembered before she succumbed to it was Harry leaning in and brushing a stray tear from her cheek, and his thumb lingering against her skin.

* * *

><p>Ginny woke warm and comfortable, but in a moment the reality of what had happened last night came back to her. She braced herself, expecting the same all-encompassing pain to return, but it didn't. It all seemed to have collected into a hard ball at the base of her stomach. She couldn't feel it throbbing in her fingertips anymore.<p>

She pushed herself up. Harry was no where to be seen. He must have gone back to his room last night after she had fallen asleep. She bit her lip with embarrassment at the memory of their kiss last night. What had she been thinking? She shook herself and slid from the bed and into the loo.

She surveyed herself in the mirror. She looked exactly as she felt: horrible. Her hair was disheveled, sticking up at odd angles in a red ring around her face. There were dark bags under her red-rimmed eyes, and she looked even paler than usual. She got in the shower and focused as much as she could on getting herself cleaned up. Anything to keep her mind off of…him. She scrubbed hard at her face, squeezing her eyes shut tight. Thank Merlin it was the weekend. She didn't think she could face classes today.

* * *

><p><em>Three weeks later<em>

"What time are we supposed to meet Ron again?" Harry muttered, crumpling the sheet of parchment before him and tossing it into the bin behind the sofa.

They were sitting in the Room of the Requirement – Harry's version of the Room of Requirement – both ensconced in the big, round couch.

"Um...five minutes, but he's always late. We can give it ten," Ginny replied, not taking her eyes off her book.

Harry nodded. "Toss me a crisp, will you?"

Ginny handed over the whole bag, wiping the crumbs off on her jeans. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Ginny?" She looked up and met his gaze. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"Okay with what?"

Harry rubbed his palms on his pant legs uncomfortably. "With shopping for the wedding. You seem like you're doing better…but I know Hermione and Ron would understand if you'd rather not go."

Ginny set her book down firmly on the end table. "I appreciate that, Harry," she said, "But I'm excited for their wedding, and I want to be a part of as much of it as I can. And that doesn't have anything to do with…Draco," she finished, only hesitating for a fraction of a second on his name.

He nodded, searching her eyes. He'd been doing that for weeks, trying to gauge how she was doing without having to ask. "All right. I just want to be sure you're okay. You were so upset…that night…and you've kept things pretty close to your chest since then. Which I understand," he said quickly, "Merlin knows I like to get over things on my own as well. But yeah," he finished awkwardly, "I just wanted to make sure."

She smiled reassuringly and patted his leg. "I'm fine, Harry. Not perfect, but much better. And you know what? I never did thank you for that night…for being there for me. I really appreciated it. So thank you."

"No problem, Gin," he said earnestly. He turned back to his papers, and they sat in silence for a few moments, but then he got the strangest teasing look on his face.

"What are you smirking at?" Ginny demanded, grinning and prodding him with her toe.

He answered without taking his eyes off his papers, "I was just remembering how you attacked me."

"Hey!" Ginny exclaimed, kicking his leg hard. "Don't make fun! I was distraught. I didn't know what I was doing!"

"Well, for your sake, you really shouldn't do it again," Harry laughed, meeting her eyes with a provocative gleam in his eyes. "I'm a nice guy, Gin, but not _that_ nice."

Ginny laughed aloud at that and was a little taken aback by the sound. She hadn't laughed that hard or that openly in weeks. "Who would have thought," she mused jokingly, "Harry Potter trying to be bad. Let's go, then, you rebel." She prodded him one more time as she got off the sofa. "We've got shopping to do."

* * *

><p>"Took you two long enough," Ron grumbled as they exited the castle. He was leaning, arms crossed, against one of the castle walls.<p>

"Ron! What in Merlin's name happened to your face?" Ginny exclaimed, jogging the last few steps to her brother and turning his face to examine the dark bruise across his left cheek.

"That bad, eh?" Ron replied, "It was ten times worse last week."

"Well it's pretty bad now, mate," Harry said.

Ron scowled at him. "We were going after this guy who was causing trouble around the London suburbs. Small time stuff – smuggling and the like, but we thought he might know something about the cell that killed Danny. But the bloody git got me with a Punching Hex. I managed to Stun him right after, but it stung like crazy for days."

"My older brother, an Auror in the field," Ginny mused, patting Ron on the shoulder. "I never would have guessed it."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Always so supportive."

"We better go," Harry said, glancing at his watch. "We were supposed to meet Hermione at her office ten minutes ago."

"Remind me why she's working on a Saturday morning again?" Ginny said.

"Some big case…I dunno," Ron muttered. "But then again," he added, "When has Hermione ever _not_ been working on a Saturday morning."

"True," Harry laughed.

They Apparated just outside the Ministry and made their way to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures on the fourth floor. It was a small department, and the whole space was filled with desks covered in stacks and stacks of papers. Right now, the office was largely deserted, but Ginny could only imagine how chaotic the place must be during the week.

"Ron, is that you?" Hermione's curly-haired head popped up from behind a huge stack of papers at the back of the room.

"Hello, love," Ron said, bounding over and giving Hermione an enthusiastic peck on the cheek.

"Careful, Ron!" she shrieked, but she was grinning brightly, "If you knock that pile over it'll set me back two weeks! Hey Harry, Ginny," she said, nodding to them.

"Just give me…one more second," she mumbled, pulling a pencil from its place behind her ear and made a note on the corner of a piece of parchment, "and I'm ready to go!"

"You work too hard, Hermione," Harry said, shaking his head.

"Tsk," Hermione chided, but she smiled. "Hey, Gin," she added, pulling Ginny into a quick hug. "Are you all right coming shopping?" she whispered.

"Of course," Ginny whispered back, smiling reassuringly.

"All right, I guess we're all set to go then," Hermione said brightly. As she turned to grab her bag, an big tawny owl flew in through the window, made a big loop, and dropped its envelope on Hermione's desk.

"Hang on, lemme just look at this," the older girl said, "There's a report from the field that I've been waiting for all week, and I think this might be…."

"Aw, 'Mione, come on!" Ron groaned, "Let's get the shopping over with!"

Hermione gave him a swift slap on the arm and flicked open the envelope. As she pulled out the contents, her smile faded.

"What's wrong?" Harry said. "Bad news?"

"Um…no…no, not bad news," Hermione stuttered. "It's good news, _great_ news, actually, but…." Her gaze turned to Ginny. "It's the check for the department…from Malfoy." Harry and Ron both whipped around to face her.

Ginny chest clenched up at the sound of his name. No one had mentioned Draco since that night. She figured Harry had told Ron and Hermione what had happened, who in turn must have told her family. She had appreciated it…it had helped her keep her mind off things, but now the sound of his name hit her like a punch in the stomach. She cleared her throat, and then turned to face them.

"That's great, Hermione. Congratulations!" she said, forcing a smile onto her face.

"Yeah…," Hermione said tentatively, "It's really great for the department…."

Ron blinked several times. "I'm just surprised Malfoy still sent the check after what happ -,"

"Well, it's wonderful," Harry said firmly, and Ginny was grateful he had cut her brother off. "Tell us again what you're going to do with it, Hermione?"

Hermione glanced between him and Ginny, and then nodded. "Well we're going to start by hiring several more people to take on cases…that'll lighten the load _considerably_," she began. "And then…."

Hermione continued speaking as they made their way back to the elevators, and Ginny caught Harry's eye as they stepped inside. "Thank you," she mouthed. He smiled and nodded.

* * *

><p>"So how are you doing?" Hermione said, fixing her with a gentle look from the other side of the dress rack, "Really."<p>

They were alone in a back room of the boutique, a rack of bridesmaid dresses between them. Harry and Ron were in the shop next door, trying on suits.

"I'm good," Ginny answered, nodding. She pulled a champagne colored dress off the rack and surveyed it for a moment before replacing it. "Not great, but good."

"Good," Hermione said. "Have you seen him since?"

"No," Ginny replied. "Which is strange, I'll admit," she added. "To live with someone for years and years and then…," she paused and swallowed. "Nothing."

"I'm so sorry, Gin," Hermione answered, coming around and putting a gentle hand on her arm. "When Harry told us, Ron and I wanted to come by and see you, but Harry said it would be better to let you deal with it on your own."

She nodded. "Yeah…at the beginning, a lot of people fussing over me would've been overwhelming, I think. Although I do appreciate the sentiment. I think I'm getting over it though," she added, smiling, "Slowly but surely, right?"

Hermione nodded, looking a little less than convinced, but smiling back all the same.

"Harry's been a real saint," Ginny said, "That's been helpful."

"I'm glad you're both at Hogwarts," Hermione replied. "It's good for both of you to have someone there." She paused. "Ron's a bit worried again, though," she said hesitantly.

"About me breaking Harry's heart again?" Ginny said, meeting her friend's eyes. "I'm definitely not in any emotional state to be breaking hearts right now," she laughed.

Hermione shrugged. "I told Ron that the two of you are just being there for each other, which is perfectly normal. But I just thought I'd warn you. Ron's on the lookout again."

"He's impossible," Ginny grumbled. "I guess we shouldn't tell him that I kissed Harry the night Draco and I broke up."

Hermione's eyes bugged. "Ginny! You didn't!"

Ginny covered her reddening face, laughing. "I know, I know! It was absolutely ridiculous, and I was sobbing afterward…."

Hermione burst into laughter. "What _is_ it with Harry and kissing crying girls?"

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later, they left the shop carrying Ginny's bridesmaid dress in a long plastic cover, promising the sales witch they would be back in a week with Hermione's mum to look at wedding gowns. They met Harry and Ron in the street outside, and just as they were about to part ways – Ron and Hermione to go back to their apartment, she and Harry to head back to the castle – Hermione spoke.<p>

"Oh! I almost forgot," she exclaimed, "Ginny! I know this is incredibly awkward, and horrible timing, but I need to know if you're planning on bringing a date to the wedding."

"Erm, don't think so," Ginny replied.

"I can set you up with a bloke from my department, if you want," Hermione said quickly, "There are some nice guys, and it can just be as friends. It's just that most everyone is bringing one, and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable…."

"Harry's not bringing one, are you Harry?" Ginny said, turning to him.

He shook his head. "Nope. Free agent."

Ginny grinned teasingly. "_Rebellious_, Potter," she smirked. He laughed and winked at her.

She turned back to Ron and Hermione, who looked utterly confused by this exchange. "Make that two free agents," she said brightly.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> This chapter just did _not_ want to be written. I wrote whole segments and then deleted them and re-wrote them multiple times..._ugh_. Anyway, I hope it turned out all right. Sorry it took a little longer than usual. Please review!


	26. Electric

**Chapter **25:**** Electric****

* * *

><p><em>3 months later<em>

Ginny slipped the thick straps over her shoulders and smiled at the feeling of the soft silk chiffon against her skin. Surveying herself in the mirror, she smoothed down the pale coral fabric. With a satisfied nod, she tucked a piece of her free-flowing hair behind her ear, grabbed her bag and left the room. She took the stairs quickly, her heels clicking against the stone, and knocked firmly on Harry's door.

"Thank Merlin, my savior!" he greeted her brightly, ushering her into his room and holding out his tie with a pleading look on his face.

"You're hopeless," she grinned, swinging it around his neck and stepping up close to him to loop it into a neat knot. "Why don't you just learn the spell? I don't know it, but I'm sure Hermione does."

"She's tried," he answered sheepishly, "But I'm not sure I've got it exactly right, and I'm wary of doing an incorrect spell on something wrapped conveniently around my neck."

Ginny laughed and pulled the last bit of the tie through its loop. She patted it and smoothed down his collar. "There," she nodded. "Perfect."

"Thanks," he said, and when she glanced up at him, she saw him regarding her with a contemplative look in his eyes. She felt herself blushing, and she stepped back quickly and swallowed.

"Oh!" she said suddenly, a little more loudly than she had intended, "I have something for you to help me with, too." She reached into her bag and pulled out a thin, gold chain. "The clasp is an absolute nightmare."

Harry took it and she spun so he could fasten it. "How panicked do you think Hermione is right now?" he chuckled.

"Hermione! What about _Ron_?" she said, laughing aloud. "Hermione's a perfectionist, so she's probably worried sick, but _Ron_ has always been a blubbering idiot when it comes to the two of them."

"I can't believe they're getting married," he said, and she could feel him shaking his head. "There, got it," he added. He pulled his hands away, his fingertips brushing lightly against her skin, and Ginny felt herself shiver ever so slightly. It had been like this for a week, and Ginny had been refusing to accept it. Every blazing green glance and every brush of their hands was like a charge.

She shook herself, and with a determined breath, she turned to face him and smiled brightly.

"Are you worried about becoming the third wheel?" she teased.

He grinned and shook his head. "With the two of them? Nah. I've been the third wheel since fourth year."

She smiled at that and glanced at the clock on his wall. "We better get going. We have a panicking bride and groom to get down the aisle."

* * *

><p>They Apparated some distance from the Burrow and walked the rest of the way, relishing the beautiful day. Winter had ebbed away and been replaced by a bright, clear Spring. Ginny breathed in the fresh air and reveled in the warmth of the sun on her skin. The Burrow came into view before them, and she could see the twins, Charlie, and Percy setting up rows of white chairs in the grass next to the house.<p>

"Don't forget the aisle!" she called as they came up to the house.

"Got it!" Percy said, lifting his hand. A long white strip of fabric unfurled from the tip of his wand and wove its way in a graceful arc from the back door of the house and down between the chairs to the arch of pale coral-colored flowers at the front.

"Perfect," Ginny said, giving him a thumbs up and heading into the house, Harry at her heels.

Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen with a brown-haired man and woman that she didn't recognize. From the awed expressions on their faces as they watched her mum transfer batches of appetizers into the oven, Ginny could only assume that they were Mr. and Mrs. Granger.

"Wonderful, you're here!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed as they came in. "Ron and Hermione have been asking after you two. This is my youngest, Ginny. And you know Harry, of course," she added, turning to the Grangers. Mrs. Granger smiled politely and Mr. Granger stood to give them both a firm handshake.

"How's it going?" Ginny asked brightly.

"Smoothly," her mum answered, smiling. "I set Hermione up in your room, Ginny. She's up there with Fleur right now. And Ron's with Bill and Arthur in his room, Harry."

They nodded and started up the stairs. At the landing, Ginny turned to Harry and winked. "See you on the aisle, Potter," she quipped.

He laughed and bounded away to the higher floor.

Ginny knocked lightly on the door to her old room and peeped inside. "It's me!"

"Ginny!"

Hermione was radiant. There was no other word for it. She was beaming. Her hair had been tamed into gentle curls around her face and her dress fit her perfectly.

"Hermione," Ginny sighed, feeling sentimental tears pricking at the corners of her eyes and giving her friend a tight hug.

"Doesn't she look beautiful?" Fleur asked, coming up to set another hairclip in place.

"Yes, she certainly does," Ginny said. "And there's baby Vicky!" she said, holding out a finger for her niece to grab. "Fleur, she's getting so big!"

Fleur sighed. "I know, it iz going too quickly. When you and Ronald start having babies," she said, turning back to Hermione, "my advice is to cherish every second because they grow so fast."

"I think it's a bit too soon to be talking about that," Hermione laughed.

"How are you feeling?" Ginny asked. "Nervous? Excited? Ready to go?"

Hermione exhaled deeply. "Your mum is just finishing up the food, so that should be all set," she began, ticking everything off on her fingers. "And your brothers are setting up outside. Oh! I hope Ron doesn't forget where I put his jacket. It's in the closet on the left hand side -."

"Harry's got Ron covered," Ginny said quickly.

Hermione exhaled again and swallowed. "I think that's everything then. The guests should start arriving any minute now."

Half an hour and two calming breathing exercises later, Fleur headed downstairs to take her place among the guests. Ginny put her hands firmly on Hermione's shoulders. "Your dad'll be up in a second. I'm so happy for you, Hermione." She smiled and gave the older girl a quick hug and peck on the cheek before leaving the room.

There was a soft knock on the door, and a sentimental-looking Mr. Granger came in. "I'll give you two a moment," Ginny said, giving Hermione a wink and heading downstairs. The kitchen was empty, her brother and Harry having already taken their places under the flower arch at the end of the aisle. Outside, she heard the music start up and she grabbed her bouquet from the tabletop. She heard Hermione and Mr. Granger coming down the stairs, and she waited to give them a quick nod before she opened the back door of the house and started down the aisle.

A hundred pairs of eyes turned to her and she smiled cheerfully, taking slow steps to the beat of the music. She saw a few unknown faces in the crowd, but they were mostly familiar. Neville, Hannah, Dean, Luna, Parvati, Padma…her parents, brothers, and their dates took up most of the front rows. Her gaze swung forward to Ron, looking a little nervous and fidgety at the end of the aisle, and then to Harry, who was standing next to him. Their eyes locked. He grinned broadly, and she felt it again – that charge that set her heart pounding a little harder and pulsed down to her fingertips. She smiled back.

* * *

><p>"You've got some nice footwork, Teddy!" Ginny laughed, twirling the turquoise-haired boy around on her finger. He giggled wildly.<p>

"Again!" he demanded, and she continued to whirl him around.

Evening was melting into night, and the stars were just beginning to twinkle in the sky. The ceremony had been beautiful, and now the champagne was flowing and the dance floor was filling.

"Hey, Teddy boy, do you mind if I dance with your date here?" She looked up to see that Harry had come up next to them.

"Uncle Harry, Auntie Ginny can spin me!" Teddy announced happily, twirling again.

"I can see that," Harry laughed.

"She can spin you now, though," he said solemnly, stepping back.

"Thanks, munchkin," Harry said, ruffling Teddy's hair, which immediately turned jet black to match his godfather's.

"Baby Vickyyyyyyyyyyy!" Teddy yelled as he zoomed away in the direction of his fellow little one, arms outstretched in his miniature suit like an airplane.

"He's really taken to her, hasn't he?" Ginny commented.

"Yeah," he grinned, spinning her expertly. The music slowed and Harry drew her close. They began to sway to the music. "Although I think at this point it's mostly the novelty of having someone smaller than him."

"Wouldn't it be cute if they grew up and fell in love?" he mused, looking over her shoulder to watch Teddy making faces at a giggling Victoire.

"Isn't it a little early to be making those kinds of predictions?" she teased.

"Hey," he said, raising his eyebrows at her, "Which of the two of us was right about Ron and Hermione, hm?"

"Touche, Potter," she admitted, laughing and glancing over to where Ron and Hermione were dancing, her chin resting snugly on his shoulder. "You know, any outsider would've said they should never have worked…not with the way they bickered."

"Well, you know what they say," Harry smiled, stepping back and spinning her in a slow circle. "Opposites attract and all that."

"No," Ginny said thoughtfully. "It's their similarities that make it work, not the differences. Problem is, their differences are too obvious – all the arguments and the yelling. They drown out all the stuff they have in common: bravery, strong personalities, loyalty…." She looked up and met his eyes. "It's their friendship that makes them perfect for each other."

He held her gaze, green against brown, searching. "Ginny," he said suddenly.

"Hm?"

"I'm going to do something incredibly stupid, but I don't want you to be angry."

She opened her mouth to make a quip – something about how he was always doing stupid things, and when did she ever complain, but she didn't get a chance, because before the words had left her lips, he bent his head and kissed her.

In an instant, everything around her, the entire dance floor, all of the people, even the music, blurred into a haze. She felt herself kissing him back, and the charge was back, running through her veins and making her skin tingle. But then he was pulling away, and Ginny stumbled a little as their surroundings came flooding back in. His arm around her back steadied her.

"Maybe we should go talk…somewhere else," he said quietly. She looked up and was immediately very aware that people were staring. Hermione's eyes were wide and Ron's face was beet-red, his mouth opening and shutting like a fish's. Most of her family and a good number of their Hogwarts friends were watching them too, varying degrees of shock on their faces.

"Yeah," she managed to answer, "Maybe we should."

"Come on." He took her hand and led her at a quick pace off the floor. They didn't speak for several minutes as they crossed through the tall grass headed up the hillside. Finally, they stopped beneath the big oak tree overlooking the Burrow yard. She sank down onto the ground and Harry sat down next to her, a few inches away.

They sat in silence for a moment, and Ginny was forcibly reminded of that last time she had been here, watching the lights and listening to the sounds filter up from the party below and waiting with a pounding heart for Harry to speak. Harry seemed to be thinking exactly the same thing, because he cleared his throat to speak.

"Remember the last time we were here?"

"Yeah," she said, glancing over at him. "After Bill and Fleur's wedding."

"Mmhmm," he replied thoughtfully. "I liked this one better, I think. Not that Bill and Fleur's wasn't beautiful, but this one didn't have the whole…."

"Menacing Dark Lord anxiety?"

He laughed. "Exactly."

There was a pause. "So," Ginny said finally, "About that kiss…."

Harry smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry…if it was out of line, but…." He stopped short and ran a hand through his hair.

"Look, Gin, I'm just going to say it." He turned to look at her, his green eyes dark with determination. "The last time we were here, after Bill and Fleur got married, I still had feelings for you. I _know_ I had just broken it off," he said quickly, "But I wanted to tell you – I _should_ have told you – that I still wanted to be with you."

"So why didn't you?" she asked.

"Menacing Dark Lord anxiety?" he replied, and she smiled.

He exhaled deeply. "But I can't make the same mistake twice. I don't know what you think about all this…I can read you like an open book except when it comes to how you feel about me," he said, grinning ironically. "But I've kind of thought that over the past couple of days that something had changed. And I don't know what Ron or Hermione or anyone else has told you, but I want you to hear it from me, and I don't want to waste another opportunity by letting it go unsaid and hoping that it'll all just work out on its own." She found that she was holding her breath, but she didn't look away. "I want to be with you, Ginny. I think we were great together, and I think we could be again, and I want to try."

She bit her lip, unsure exactly what to say and suddenly very aware of how intently – how expectantly – he was looking at her, searching her face. They'd been dancing around it for days, even weeks, she knew, but this was the first time he had asked her for an answer. He had been direct and open and honest, and now she had to do the same.

"I'm sorry," he murmured hesitantly, "Was that too much information all at once?"

"No!" she said quickly, and she was surprised at her own conviction. "No, it's not too much information." She paused and swallowed. The charge was pounding through her now. "I think you're right," she said softly.

He blinked and leaned in closer. "About us?" he whispered.

She nodded. "About us."

He smiled and closed the distance between them. "Good," he replied, and then he kissed her again.

Fifteen minutes later, when they walked down the hillside and crossed back toward the party hand in hand, multiple heads turned to watch them.

"Apparently we've caused quite a stir," Harry whispered.

"You let me handle Ron," she said back, marching them determinedly up to her brother, who was even redder than he had been when they left.

"Ron…," she said slowly, steeling herself for a row.

He spluttered, obviously trying to find the right words, but when they didn't come he just threw up his hands and sighed. "Oh, what do I know!" he huffed. But then he pointed a warning finger between them. "Just don't muck it up, either of you," he finished.

Harry snorted beside her and Ginny grinned. "We won't," she replied.

* * *

><p>By the time they Apparated back to Hogwarts, it was far past midnight.<p>

"We've _got_ to work on your timing, Potter," Ginny laughed as they wound through the halls, his arm around her. "Any more public first kisses and I think Ron'll have an aneurysm."

"He took it pretty well," he said, grinning brightly.

"Indeed."

They came to her room, and she opened the door. She hesitated in the threshold, and Harry bent to give her a lingering kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow, Gin," he said softly.

"No, wait," she replied, catching him by the arm as he turned to leave. He looked back her quizzically. She smiled. "Stay."

He blinked twice, and then understanding crossed his features, and her breath caught in her throat as he hesitated.

But then he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, and a single thought crossed her mind with perfect clarity before everything blurred again and she let him press her back into the room and toward the bed: _it__ was __electric_.

* * *

><p><strong>Author<strong>**'****s**** Note:** I know I'm probably going to get a lot of angry reviews, but Draco and Ginny got loads of fluff at the beginning of the story and now Ginny and Harry need at least _one_ chapter of it too. And for those of you who are going through Draco withdrawals, you'll be happy to hear that our favorite Slytherin makes an appearance in the next chapter :) Please review, and again, be gentle!


	27. The Waiting

**Chapter 26: The Waiting**

* * *

><p>The stunner was carefully calculated – not strong enough to actually hurt her, but just solid enough to reverberate against her shield and push her to the ground. Her mind flicked through the possible options; a quick dodge to the left and an <em>Avis<em>_ Oppugno_ or maybe her infamous Bat Bogey. But Harry's stunner was a perfect way to end the duel, so she let him have it.

She nodded to him, grinning appreciatively, and he strode over and held out a hand to help her up. The large crowd of students surrounding the raised dueling ring began clapping wildly. She dusted off her jeans and pocketed her wand as Harry turned to address them.

"Now, who can tell me what Miss Weasley was _thinking_ about doing in retaliation before she graciously allowed me to end the duel with that example of effective stunning against a shielded opponent?" He winked at her and she grinned back, reaching up adjusting her ponytail.

A dozen enthusiastic hands flew into the air. He gestured to a small, bushy-haired girl in the front row that reminded Ginny of twelve-year-old Hermione.

"A Confundus Charm would have been effective!" the girl said breathlessly, "To confuse you and give her enough time to get her bearings."

"That would've been a great idea," Ginny said, smiling appreciatively. "I rather wish I'd thought of that."

The students laughed and mini-Hermione beamed. "All right!" Harry said, "I think it's time to get a few of you guys into the ring. Each House, please nominate your first contestants!"

Ginny pressed down the tab on the dispenser and cool water began to fill her cup. She glanced around the Great Hall; the dueling competition seemed to be going smoothly. Pairs of students were throwing spells furiously in each of the four raised rings, and a professor stood near each ring watching the proceedings carefully. The last few months had passed quickly, and the end of the school year was only a week away. She couldn't suppress a small smile at the thought of a whole free summer with Harry. Things had been going well between them – _really_ well – better than she had hoped. The tabloids had been having a field day about them being together again, but she didn't care. For once, they were right.

"It looks like Hufflepuff is going to win," Harry said, coming up beside her and giving her a quick kiss on her temple before leaning down to fill his own water cup.

"Well, Marlena Wickard is a fierce fighter," she replied, taking a sip of her drink. The slightly plump and unfailingly polite Sixth Year had surprised everyone by winning three duels by a landslide in quick succession. She turned to him conspiratorially. "Can I tell you a secret?"

His eyes gleamed amusedly. "Of course."

"I was rooting for Gryffindor."

He fixed her with a look of mock horror. "As Professors, aren't we supposed to be impartial?"

She nudged him with her hip and shrugged cheekily. "Well here I am breaking all the rules," she smirked. "Oooh, it looks like the Ravenclaw-Slytherin one in the far corner's getting good. Let's go." She grabbed his hand and made to move away from the refreshments, but he held her back.

"Wait, Gin, I wanted to ask you about something," he said, smiling awkwardly.

"Sure," she said, grinning brightly.

"Well…," he said slowly, "The end of the year's coming around."

Ginny nodded quizzically, her grin fading.

"And McGonagall called me into her office yesterday to ask about my contract. See, I didn't sign a long-term one like most of you, and mine expires after this year…."

"Oh." She blinked at him, and then she understood. "_Oh_. You're leaving?" she said, trying very hard to keep the question light. For a moment, she considered protesting. She had loved these last few months with him. They had spent every night together in one of their rooms or the other, and there was something profoundly intimate about meeting in the Room of Requirement between classes to snog or talk or just lie next to each other. It had reminded her of when they had been together in her Fifth Year, back before everything blew up around them. And she didn't relish the prospect of him getting bruised and beaten for a living. But Hermione's words were seared across her brain. _He__ ought __to __have__ just __joined __the__ Aurors __straightaway.__ It__'__s __making__ everything __worse._

He was nodding. "Kingsley's really been doubling his efforts, and my plan was always to work here for a year to rest and then to join up. Training starts next week," he finished matter-of-factly. "McGonagall's agreed to let me stay in my Hogwarts rooms for a few months until I find a permanent place. But what I wanted to ask you was…would you like to look for a flat with me? You know, it could be ours?"

She swallowed, mind racing. She had just wrapped her mind around him leaving…his question caught her off guard. "You want us to get a place together?" she said slowly.

He grinned. "Yeah," he confirmed. "I know you have to stay here on the grounds most nights, but on weekends it might be nice for us to have a place that's ours. And since I have to get a flat anyway…." He trailed off.

She smiled encouragingly. "I'd love to, Harry," she answered honestly. Harry was a very private person, she knew that, and he wanted to share a home with her. It meant a lot. "Damn, I wish I'd kept my Prophet from this morning. There are advertisements at the back."

Harry smiled brightly and brushed a stray wisp of hair behind her ear. "We'll tackle it tomorrow," he said, leaning in to kiss her tenderly.

She grinned as he pulled away. "Snogging in public?" she teased. "Aren't we supposed to be professors?"

"You're not the only rule-breaker, you know," he answered cheekily. "Hey, Dobson!" he yelled suddenly, "Keep the dueling in the ring, will you?" He turned back to Ginny. "I better go take care of this. I'll talk to you later, all right? I'm glad we're doing this," he added with a smile as he walked away.

"Me too," Ginny answered honestly. She was happy they were moving in together. But somehow, the prospect of him joining the Aurors gave her an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

* * *

><p><em>Two months later<em>

The flat was spacious and bright. That's what she loved most about, Ginny thought – the light. They'd only found it a week ago. It was a fifteen minute walk from Diagon Alley. Convenient, but far enough away that they could live there in relative quiet and privacy.

Ginny stood in the center of the living room with her hands on her hips, surveying the piles of boxes arranged in a wide semi-circle around her.

"This is the last of it," Harry said, coming through the front door with a particularly large box levitating before him.

"Shall we start with the bedroom?" she said, eyeing the boxes speculatively.

"Mmm," Harry muttered in agreement, "I think that's these over here."

"How competent are you at putting furniture together?" she asked, sauntering into the room at the very end of the hall. "Because I think that's the bed in that box there. The pieces of it anyway."

Harry shrugged. "I guess we'll find out."

"I hope that means very competent," she said, turning back to raise a provocative eyebrow at him from the bedroom doorway. "Because I have a feeling we're going to need a bed later."

He grinned. "You're a tease. Has anyone ever told you that?" he said.

"On occasion," she smirked cheekily, disappearing into the room.

She began by setting up the pre-assembled dresser and unpacking clothes into the deep drawers. Harry settled himself on ground, various bed parts and screws arranged around him.

"Can I have this?" she said, holding up one of his old Quidditch practice shirts.

Harry glanced up and laughed. "Why in the world would you want that ratty old thing?"

"I resent you calling it ratty!" she countered, glaring at him and holding it against her chest defensively. "I prefer well-loved," she added primly. "You never wear it anyway."

"Well I'm not about to wear a shirt around that has my name emblazoned across the back!" he said.

"Would make it easier on the paparazzi, though, wouldn't it?" she teased, crossing the room to dig through the contents of another box for clothes.

"Hm, maybe you're on to something," he mused, grinning. "If I wore that shirt every day maybe they'd stop taking photos of random black-haired wizards with specs and speculating that it's me kissing this girl or that."

"On second thought," she said, swinging the shirt over her shoulder, "your refusal to wear this shirt is currently keeping half the gossip rags of England in business. You should let me have it for the job security of all those witches and wizards, Harry." She nodded determinedly.

"Ha! Well, when you put it that way, how can I refuse?"

"You can't."

"Gin, you dropped something," he said, leaning across the floor to pick something up. "Fell out of that pile there."

"Hm?" She turned to see him examining the locket Draco had given her on her seventeenth birthday.

"Oh, I wonder how that got in there," she said, crossing to take it from him.

"It's pretty. Where'd you get it?" he said, flipping it open. He blinked, expression inscrutable. "Here you go," he said neutrally, passing it to her.

"Thanks." She shoved the locket deep in her jeans pocket. It must have gotten pushed into one of the boxes by accident. She never wore it anymore. She realized that she hadn't seen Draco in ages. She thought about him every once in a while. He showed up in the papers every so often, always with a different pretty socialite on his arm. Being the good-looking heir to one of the largest fortunes in the wizarding world made one popular with Witch Weekly.

"There," Harry was saying brightly, and she turned her attention back to him. "All done."

"That was fast!" she replied. The bed was assembled in the center of the room. It looked sturdy enough. "I think I shrunk the mattress into that box over there."

Harry waved his wand nonchalantly at the box in the corner, and the shrunken mattress floated out and immediately ballooned in size. Wordless magic, Ginny noticed. He could do everything that way now, and she swallowed an impressed comment as he set the mattress on the bedframe.

"Well, it hasn't collapsed yet," he said, meeting her eyes and raising his eyebrows at her.

"I think we can take a break, don't you?" she replied.

His lips twitched at the corners. "I'd say so." And he crossed the space between them and pressed his lips against hers. She smiled, and his hands came up to cup both sides of her face as they stumbled laughingly toward the bed. Her hands ran down his sides to the hem of his shirt, but he winced a little when her fingers pressed against his bottom rib.

"Oh, Harry," she said, freezing, "Do you think you ought to go back to the hospital about that?"

He smiled a little and kept kissing her neck, leaning her back onto the mattress. "It's just a bruised rib," he chuckled. "I've had much worse."

She rolled her eyes and sighed theatrically. "I ought to go in there and tell that ridiculous whatever-his-name-is that he should aim his hexes a little better," she said. "If he injured other Aurors during training, what kind of damage is he going to do now that you're starting actual missions."

"Mmm, well now that you mention it, maybe a well-placed Bat Bogey wouldn't be the worst thing for him," Harry laughed, his hands wandering down to the buttons of her top.

"Settled then. I'll come in next week," she smiled, meeting his kiss.

Suddenly there was a loud crash, and Ginny's stomach dropped as the bed collapsed beneath them. "Bloody hell!" Harry yelled, and she shrieked as they landed sprawled on the floored mattress.

Their eyes met in shock, and then they burst into laughter.

"You…the bed…commendable handiwork…," Ginny managed to gasp between shaking bouts of mirth.

"We should've gotten the one that came assembled," Harry said, tears of laughter falling from the corners of his eyes. "I'm so…sorry…I knew that last screw wasn't just in there for extras."

This sent Ginny into a second round of giggling, and she curled into him, trying to catch her breath.

They were interrupted by the sound of the fire bursting into life in the grate down the hall, and Harry pushed himself up to answer it. "Hopefully it's Ron," Ginny commented. "I think we're going to need some handy help putting this thing back together properly."

He snorted as he headed into the living room. "Who is it?" she called out.

He didn't answer, and she pushed herself up onto her elbows. Brow furrowing, she followed him.

Ron was in the grate, his expression serious. "Oh, Ron," she said brightly, "We were just talking about how we need your assistance with…." She trailed off, realizing that all the amusement was gone from Harry's expression as well.

"What's going on?"

"I was just telling Harry that there's been a breakthrough on the case he's been working on."

"What case?"

"Sorry, Gin," Ron said, meeting her eyes, "He can't tell you until it's wrapped up. But it's important. You should be getting the summons soon," he continued, turning back to Harry, who nodded shortly.

"Thanks for the warning, mate," he answered grimly, standing and brushing the soot off his knees.

"And Harry," Ron added as Harry turned away. "You should pack a bag. I think this'll be a long one."

Harry nodded again and Ron's face disappeared from the grate. He rubbed the back of his neck agitatedly and walked past her back into the bedroom. She watched soberly from the doorway as he pulled a small black duffel bag from one of the boxes and began stuffing clothes into it. There was a sudden loud pop, and a red file, secured by a rubber band, fell to the floor beside Harry's feet.

"Is that the summons?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah," Harry said, picking it up and stuffing it quickly into his bag. "I've got to go to Headquarters straightaway."

"I didn't think you'd have your first real mission so soon," she said.

"They throw you right in," he answered. All trace of merriment was gone now. It had disappeared from his demeanor so quickly that Ginny felt a little off balance.

"You don't know how long you'll be gone?" He shook his head.

"Is it dangerous?" she asked softly, and this time he turned away from his bag to look at her. He picked it up in one hand and crossed the room, putting his other hand firmly on her shoulder.

"Shouldn't be," he said, but she could hear the hesitation in his voice. She narrowed her eyes.

"Don't you lie to me, Harry Potter," she said warningly.

He smiled drily and leaned down to give her a light kiss. "I'll be fine." He began to move past her out the door, but she put a hand on his arm.

""Be careful. Don't do anything stupid," she said, meeting his eyes. "I love you, Harry," she added determinedly.

She heard his sharp intake of breath at the words. They'd never said it before. It had been understood, she knew, but somehow, saying the words out loud meant something.

"I love you too," he said finally. "I'll be back before you know it."

And then he walked down the hall and out the door. She heard the pop of his Apparition moment later, and she was left alone in their new flat, trying to ignore the hard ball of worry that had settled at the bottom of her stomach.

* * *

><p>Ginny sat on the sofa in their flat, chewing distractedly on the end of her quill, her eyes skimming across the parchment before her. Harry had been gone for two weeks, and she found that working on her lesson plans for the next school year was one of the only things that kept her mind off the dozens of ways he could be getting himself killed at this very moment.<p>

She sighed agitatedly and thrust the parchment and quill aside, picking up her mug of tea and taking a big gulp. She concentrated on the feeling of the hot liquid sliding down her throat. She'd been like this since he'd left, and as the days passed with no word and no news, the worry in her stomach kept expanding further and further into her chest.

She'd waited for him before, of course, but it was different now. Now they were in love – they'd said it, it was all out in the open – they had a flat (a flat that she'd finished moving into and re-organized dozens of times in the last fourteen days to keep herself busy) and a life together. They were _settled_…so why didn't it feel that way?

She stood and went into the kitchen, grabbing bread and cheese from the refrigerator and throwing them onto a pan. Comfort food. The grilled cheese sandwich was just beginning to sizzle on the stove when she heard the sharp sound of an Apparition just outside the front door.

She turned just as Harry's disheveled head of hear poked through the door. "Harry!" She ran to him, and at the sight of him – obviously exhausted, but uninjured – she felt a fierce wave of relief throughout her body.

"Hi, Gin," he said, a wide grin breaking through the tiredness that was evident across his face. He pulled her close and kissed her hard, his bag dropping to the floor at their feet. "I missed you," he sighed against her lips.

"I missed you too," she replied. "I'm making grilled cheese. Are you hungry? Here, sit down, you look like hell."

He smiled at that and sank into a chair. She made her way back to the stove and slid the browned sandwich onto a plate. When she turned back around, she saw that Harry's head at slumped down onto the table, and a light snore was emanating from his mouth. She exhaled deeply and bit her lip. At least he was home.

* * *

><p><em>Six months later<em>

"Mr. Potter is of course welcome to join you," McGonagall added.

"Seven tonight, you said?" Ginny asked.

"Yes," the professor confirmed, "And Hogwarts robes."

"All right, I'll be there."

Ginny left the headmistress's office and Apparated straight to the flat.

"Harry," she said brightly as she walked through the door and threw her bag onto the sofa. "McGonagall's asked me to attend a Ministry fundraiser for education to represent Hogwarts, and she said you're welcome to come as well. So what do you think? Shall we make a night of it? Oh."

He was standing in the middle of the living room next to a big round sofa, identical to the one in his private Room of Requirement at Hogwarts. His black duffel bag was clenched in his right hand.

"Going somewhere?" she said, trying for nonchalance. She knew, of course. She could see the edge of the red file poking out from his bag. She tried to keep her expression neutral.

"I'm sorry, Gin," he said, brow furrowed. "I just got the summons fifteen minutes ago. This," he added, gesturing to the red sofa beside him, "was supposed to be a surprise. I had it made for us at a furniture shop so we could have one of our own…for the flat."

"It's great," she said, her eyes glued to that edge of the red file. She could already feel the ball of worry settling in her stomach, just like it always did when he left.

"I shouldn't be gone too long this time," he said hesitantly.

She looked up and met his eyes. "You say that every time, Harry," she said, and her tone was sharper than she'd intended. She sighed. "I'm sorry," she sighed. "But you just got back from your last mission a week ago. We've hardly gotten any time together since you went on active duty. Ron's never gone this much…I don't understand why they're giving you such a big caseload. Can't you give this one to someone else?"

"I'm sorry, Gin," he said again, running his hand through his hair. "You know I can't do that. I'm familiar with the case…I have to go."

She exhaled heavily. She hadn't really expected him to stay anyway. "I know."

He walked over and gave her a lingering kiss on the cheek as he went to the door.

"The chair is lovely," she said in a conciliatory tone, giving his hand a quick squeeze.

He squeezed back. "Have fun at the fundraiser," he replied. "I'll be back before you know it."

She bit back a retort as the door closed behind him. He said that every time.

* * *

><p>The Ministry foyer was milling with people, and Ginny kept her chin up determinedly as she checked in with the witch at the entrance and walked into the room. She was flattered that McGonagall had asked her to attend to represent Hogwarts. Usually only the more senior staff was allowed to go to these events.<p>

There was a diverse group of people in attendance. She saw some witches in Beauxbatons robes on the other side of the room, and a few people in school uniforms she didn't recognize. She spotted Professor Sprout across the room speaking to a group of Ministry executives, and adjusted her own official Hogwarts robes as she headed over.

"Ginevra!" Professor Sprout said. "Mr. Richards, Mr. Yang, Mrs. Kaplan, this is one of our newest, and dare I say brightest professors at Hogwarts."

"Hi, I'm Ginny Weasley," she said, smiling broadly and holding out her hand.

"So Miss Weasley, we were just discussing what Hogwarts might do with an increased budget from the Ministry," the woman named Kaplan said, raising her eyebrows at her.

Ginny met the challenge with a grin, her mind skimming easily over the dozens of things Hogwarts could use more funding for.

The night passed quickly in networking and moving from one group of Ministry officials to another; to be honest, a year ago she would probably have found this event incredibly dull – she hated pointless small-talk with people she didn't know – but tonight she was glad of the distraction. As the clock on the wall struck eleven o'clock, Ginny leaned back against the bar and sipped from her glass.

"Ginny!" She turned to see a barely-recognizable man coming toward her.

"Seamus, is that you?" she said as he pulled her into a hearty hug. She stepped back and surveyed him. "I haven't seen you in ages! How are you? What are you doing here?"

"Doing well," he said, smiling broadly. "Me girlfriend works in the Education Policy Department here at the Ministry, and I'm here for the free food and drinks."

Ginny laughed. "Smart move, Finnegan," she said lightly.

"And you? I heard you're workin' at Hogwarts now?"

She nodded. "Yeah, Charms."

"Here, have some champagne. I've found you need it to get through these kinds of events," Seamus said, turning and grabbing two flutes of champagne from the circulating trays.

"Thanks," she said, taking a sip. "So what have you been doing since…everything?"

"Oh, this and that," Seamus replied, "But I've settled into Magical Games and Sports for now."

"Wow, that's great!" Ginny said, grinning.

"It's exciting," he agreed. "I get good tickets to most of the games, too. Me family loves it."

"Well if you ever have extras, Floo me. I'd be happy to take 'em off your hands," she smiled.

"Sure thing, Weasley," he answered. "Oh, I'd better go. The girlfriend calls." He gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Owl me, will ya? We should get the old gang back together for a pint sometime."

She nodded as he moved off.

"Enjoying the party?" a voice said from behind her. "I think I paid for about half of it."

Ginny froze. She would have recognized that voice anywhere, even though she hadn't heard it in over a year.

She turned. "Draco, how are you?"

He looked like he was doing well. His suit was neat and perfectly fitted, as always…his hair was a little longer than she remembered. "All right," he said smoothly, meeting her eyes. "And you?"

"I'm good," she replied, not breaking their gaze. He looked away first.

She sipped her drink. "So you're investing in education these days?" she said conversationally.

"Mmm, well you know what they say, the children are our future," he quipped, smirking.

There was a long pause, and Ginny wondered if he would walk off and that would be the end of it. But he didn't.

"I heard about your father," she said finally. She had read about Lucius Malfoy's illness in the papers. He had been in St. Mungo's for over a month, and Draco had taken over the family finances. "I'm sorry," she finished, glancing over at him.

He nodded. "Thank you," he said shortly.

Another long pause.

"So where's Potter?" he said suddenly. "I would have thought you'd bring him."

She realized he must have been reading about them in the papers too.

"Not here," she answered, "He's on an Auror mission." She bit her lip with reflexive worry, and she immediately wanted to kick herself. He had noticed. Of course he had. They had dated for years, after all.

His mouth curved into one of his trademark smirks. In this context, it was infuriating. "Life with Saint Potter not so wonderful after all, hm?"

She felt a sharp flash of annoyance, but she bit back a direct challenge. "So what soon-to-be one night stand are you here with, then?" she retorted instead.

He took a swig of champagne and met her eyes. "Astoria Greengrass," he replied easily. "Her sister Daphne was in my year." He gestured with his glass, and Ginny glanced at the leggy blonde on the other side of the room. "And she's not going to be a one night stand. I'm very picky. You know that."

Ginny raised her eyebrows at him, and she knew that the slightest tinge of accusation crossed her eyes. "I do, do I?" she said sarcastically.

She watched his gaze darken, though his expression remained cool and collected.

She sighed heavily and looked away. "I'm sorry," she exhaled. "That wasn't necessary." She glanced back up at him. "I'm just tired…it's been a long week. I think I'll head home now." She gave him a light smile and started to move away.

"They've set up a Floo direct to Hogwarts," he said, glancing over his shoulder. "Over there."

"I'm not going to Hogwarts," she replied. "Harry and I share a flat near here. I'm going to walk."

"Oh," Draco replied, blinking with surprise. Apparently he hadn't believed the Prophet when they'd printed that bit of gossip. He glanced at his watch. "It's late. You shouldn't be out alone. Let me walk you back."

She looked at him skeptically. "I can take care of myself, thanks very much."

He rolled his eyes. "Not denying that. But I don't fancy the idea of you getting murdered in a back alley because of your trumped up pride."

She scowled. "Won't your date mind?"

"It's near here, isn't it? I'll tell her I'll be right back."

He met her on the Ministry steps a few moments later, and they started at a quick pace back to her flat.

"How is it going at Gringotts?" she asked stiffly.

"Bill doesn't keep you updated?" he replied.

"Of course not," she said.

He nodded. "Well I'm leading the department now."

"Really? Wow, that's great. Congratulations," she said, smiling.

"How are classes?" he asked.

"Fine," she replied. She hated how stilted this conversation was. But they had been together for so long that there were very few safe topics for them to discuss…very few things that wouldn't conjure up memories and awkwardness.

They walked in silence until they reached her flat and he stood at the foot of the steps as she let herself in.

"Thanks for walking me back," she said, "Even though I didn't need you to."

He sighed, his mouth turning up ever so slightly at the corners. "I know you didn't."

She nodded. "Well…," she murmured awkwardly.

"Take care, Gin," he said, meeting her eyes and smiling tightly.

He turned away, and she felt a sudden need to keep those from being the last words they said to each other. She foundered for something to say and so she said the first thing that popped into her head. "Did they let you return it?"

He turned back to her slowly. "Return what?"

She swallowed. "The ring. Did they let you return it?"

He held her gaze for a long moment, his expression inscrutable. He nodded shortly. "Yeah, they did."

"All right…well that's good."

He opened his mouth to say something, but then someone cleared their throat a few feet away, and Ginny looked past him to see Hermione standing there, holding a bottle of wine in one hand, an uncertain expression on her face. "Hermione!"

"I heard Harry got a summons…thought you might want some company…and a drink?" She held up the wine.

Ginny smiled genuinely. "I would love that," she said. "Come on up."

"Draco," Hermione said, nodding shortly as she moved past him to the landing and into the flat.

"I'll leave you to it, then," he said, and Ginny nodded.

"It was nice to see you, Draco," she said honestly.

He smiled and started back down the street, and Ginny retreated into the flat and closed the door.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I hope you liked this chapter...it's a little longer than usual :) Several of you have been asking if this is still a DG story...I don't want to give too much away, but as you'll see when we get to the endings, I think it's still best placed in the DG category. Also, there are two chapters left before the story diverges into the alternate endings. Don't worry - I'll alert you before it happens.

Please review!


	28. The Breakdown

**Chapter 27: The Breakdown**

* * *

><p>The winter had been fairly mild this year and was fading faster than usual. It was Friday evening and Ginny made her way through the streets behind Diagon Alley in just a light jumper and a scarf. She switched her bag of groceries – she'd picked up some ingredients for a chicken pot pie on her way over from school – to her left hand and pulled her wand from her back pocket to lower the flat's wards.<p>

"Sorry I'm late, Harry," she sighed as she kicked the front door shut behind her and set the groceries down on the counter. "I have had the _worst_ day. You would not believe the snark I got from Roland Rex today…you remember, the Slytherin Fourth Year?"

There was no answer, and Ginny turned around confusedly. The living room was empty.

"Harry?" she said, heading down the hall and peering into all of the rooms. Nothing. She glanced at her watch – eight o'clock. Her heart began to pound, and she bit her lip hard to still her breathing as she crossed quickly to the fireplace. Harry was sent on short missions during the day sometimes, but when he wasn't on long-term missions, he was always back by six o'clock at the latest. Maybe he had been hurt…maybe something at happened….

"Hermione, where'd you put the leftovers from last night?" Ron's voice filtered to her from the grate as Hermione's face materialized.

"Oh, Ron, I'm going to start dinner in just a second! Can't you wait?" the older girl said. "Hi, Gin!" she smiled, turning to look over her shoulder to Ron. "Ron, it's your sister!" she called. She turned back. "How are you?"

Then she noticed the look on Ginny's face and her smile faded. "Is something wrong?"

"Hermione, I need to speak to Ron," Ginny said quickly.

"What's up?" Ron said, bounding into sight and settling himself down before the fire.

"Harry hasn't come home yet," she said in a rush. "Do you know if he's on a mission…did it go late…something?"

Ron's brow furrowed. "I don't know, Gin…," he said slowly.

Her temper flared. "Ron, I don't care that mission details are secret!" she snapped. "I just want to know where he is."

"Ginny, calm down," Ron replied, fixing her with a stern look.

She swallowed and exhaled heavily. "I'm sorry," she sighed, rubbing her hands over her face agitatedly. "But can you please just tell me if he's on a mission?"

"I really don't know," Ron replied. "I was in the office all day and I didn't hear about him getting any assignments."

Ginny's heart hammered harder in her chest. She didn't know whether to feel better or worse – he wasn't on a mission, but he also wasn't safe at home….

"Although," Ron continued, looking away speculatively, "I don't know anything about the secret mission he volunteered for two weeks ago…they haven't been keeping any of the rest of us in the loop about that one, so he may have been called away and I wouldn't know…."

"What secret mission?" Hermione asked, and Ginny realized it came as a surprise to her too.

Ron exhaled. "I really shouldn't be talking about it…."

"_Ron_," Ginny said warningly.

"All right, all right. A week ago they asked for volunteers for some new mission. They said they have to keep it really under the radar, so they couldn't tell us anything else." He met Ginny's eyes and flinched a little at her expression. "I don't know anything else, Gin, I swear!"

"The more secret the more dangerous, right?" Ginny said softly.

"You don't know that, Gin," Hermione replied quickly.

"And he volunteered for this?" Ginny continued as if she hadn't heard.

"I tried to convince him not to, Gin," Ron said, "But you know how he is…I couldn't keep him from volunteering for all the others, and I couldn't keep him from volunteering for this one."

Ginny blinked. "All the others?" she whispered.

"He didn't tell you he was volunteering for missions?" Ron said, reddening.

"No," she replied. She could feel a sharp pang of anger clench in a stomach. "No, he didn't. How many has he volunteered for?"

Ron avoided her gaze. "Gin…."

"How many, Ron?" she said sharply.

"Dozens, all right?" Ron answered. "Dozens."

"You're telling me that he's been _volunteering_ to put himself in danger at every opportunity?"

"Oh, come on, Gin," Ron said. "This can't be that big a surprise. Haven't you noticed that he's gone almost twice as much as I am?"

"Of course I have," Ginny said, voice rising. The frustration was rising in her throat now. "And he always said he didn't have a bloody choice!"

"To be fair, Ginny," Hermione cut in, "He probably doesn't feel like he has a choice. From his perspective, if he can help someone, it's his responsibility to do it."

"Bollocks!" Ginny swore. "He knows that every time he leaves on missions all I do is sit in this bloody flat and worry. He knows that it nearly kills me to wonder for days on end whether he's lying in a ditch somewhere injured and alone! He _knows_that! And he's been _volunteering_? And now he volunteers for some doubly dangerous secret mission that requires him to leave for Merlin knows how long without even telling me he's going?"

"_Ginny_," Ron said sharply, "You have got to calm down. He's only doing what he feels he has to do. And I'm sure it's something incredibly important. If you just knew what he's doing, if you knew where he is, I'm sure you'd want him to be there…."

"Well that's just it, isn't it?" Ginny said, fixing her brother with a fierce look, "I have _no__idea_ where he is. I never do anymore."

* * *

><p>Ginny was in a horrible mood for the rest of the week. She didn't want to be this angry, but she couldn't help it. As much as she hated to admit it, she couldn't deal with Harry disappearing without a word of warning. She couldn't deal with not knowing when he would be home and for how long. And she couldn't deal with him volunteering to put himself in danger at every opportunity. The war was over…the endless hours of worry and heartache were supposed to be over too.<p>

A week later, the anger had fizzled into a numb kind of anxiety. Ginny trudged up to the flat and scuffed her shoes on the edge of the top step, adjusting the huge stack of papers in her arms. Thank Merlin for the hours and hours of grading that she would use to distract herself this weekend. She glanced at her watch. Hermione was coming over for dinner…the older girl had been making an effort to spend more time with her over the past few months, and Ginny appreciated it. But she was a little late getting home. She heard the sound of movement inside the flat. She'd told Hermione the password for the wards ages ago…she was probably already starting dinner.

"_Hermione_, can you just put Ginny on the bloody Floo?"

Ginny froze with her hand on the doorknob. It was Harry. He must have finally Floo'd.

"You _told_ me, Harry. You _told__me_." Hermione's frustrated voice filtered out through the door and caught her off guard. They were arguing. She hesitated on the doorstep, and the tense conversation continued on inside.

"You _told_ me in Romania that all you wanted was to come home and live a quiet life with Ginny," Hermione was saying, voice rising. "'All I want is to fall asleep with her every night and wake up next to her every morning.' Do you remember saying that, Harry?"

"Of course I do," Harry replied wearily.

"Then what do you think you're doing? You could _have_ that, Harry, and you're letting it slip away. You're losing her!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" he answered sharply.

"She's worried all the time. She has these dark rings under her eyes – I think she hardly sleeps. And you should have seen her a week ago when you disappeared and she found out you've been volunteering for missions! I don't know how much longer she's going to put up with this, Harry."

"I know she's worried, but she never said she was having a really hard time of it…."

"Because you're never here, Harry!" Hermione said loudly, and Ginny could picture her waving a finger accusingly at him. "She's not a little lovesick girl anymore! Seeing you once every month isn't going to be enough for her. She's an adult, and she has adult expectations of you. She's been in a serious relationship, and…."

"_Hermione_," Harry said warningly.

"No, Harry," Hermione continued determinedly. "I think we all, the three of us, we all underestimated how serious things were between her and Malfoy. He proposed to her, you know."

Ginny inhaled sharply, and there was a long silence on the other side of the door.

"He what?" Harry breathed finally.

"He walked her home from that Ministry event a month ago. It was totally innocent, but I heard the end bit of their conversation. She mentioned a ring."

Ginny swallowed. She'd never told Harry that Draco had been close to proposing to her. This had gone on long enough. Exhaling heavily, she turned the knob and walked in.

"Ginny!" Harry in the Floo and Hermione on her knees before the grate spoke in unison.

Hermione cleared her throat awkwardly, trying to act nonchalant. "Well," she stammered, "I'll give you two a few minutes, shall I?" Giving Ginny's shoulder a quick rub, she headed down the hall and disappeared into the spare bedroom.

When the door shut behind her, Ginny turned back to the grate. Harry smiled tentatively, and she forced herself to smile back. "Are you safe?" she whispered. The only question that mattered these days.

* * *

><p><em>Two weeks later<em>

Ginny sat in her classroom, her feet up on the desk and a book open on her outstretched legs. She glanced at the text and continuing copying it out onto a separate sheet of parchment. She was tidying up next week's lesson plans. Harry still hadn't come home, and she hadn't spoken to him since that Floo call two weeks earlier.

Just then, there was a quiet knock on the door, and a shy-looking First Year poked her head in. "Professor Weasley?"

She glanced up. "Yes?"

"Professor McGonagall wants to see you. She said it's urgent."

Ginny swung her legs down and abandoned her papers on the table to make a beeline for the Headmistress's Office. She climbed the staircase with her heart pounding. These days, anything out of the ordinary made her stomach clench with fear.

"Minerva…?" she said hesitantly. "You asked to see me?"

"Ginny." McGonagall's voice was clipped, and Ginny's eyes slid down to where the professor's hand was clenched stiffly on the top of her chair. That hand told her everything she needed to know.

She held on to her last shreds of calm so she could whisper out a single word. "Harry?"

McGonagall's lips tightened into a thin line and her cheeks whitened. She nodded. "He's still alive, but seriously injured. They're working on him at St. Mungo's." Ginny felt the room swirl around her and she felt a wave of lightheadedness threatening to floor her. She dug her fingernails into her palms and bit the inside of her mouth so hard she could taste blood.

"You should go. I'll have someone cover your classes this afternoon." It was like McGonagall was speaking through a fog, and Ginny nodded blankly. "Use my grate," the professor added. "Your brother and Miss Granger – excuse me, Mrs. Weasley – are already there."

Ginny didn't answer, just moved mechanically toward the fireplace. "_Ginny_," McGonagall said sharply, and she looked up. "Pull yourself together. Detaching from the situation is not going to help matters."

"I'm sorry," Ginny whispered. She shook herself. McGonagall was right. She stood in front of the fireplace and took a handful of powder, trying to breathe more deeply. She paused. "How bad is it? I want to know…before I walk in there and see him half-dead in a hospital bed."

"I don't know the details," McGonagall sighed, meeting her eyes. "But a rogue Death Eater's curse got through…it was a Blasting Hex. His chest is badly burned, and he was thrown back off a high cliff. Broken legs, ribs, and one arm."

Ginny swallowed and nodded. Then she raised her hand and threw the Powder in the grate. "St. Mungo's," she said clearly, and she was whirled away.

* * *

><p>The Floo system disgorged her in a room off the main lobby of the hospital. She strode straight to the front desk. "Harry Potter," she said breathlessly.<p>

The receptionist, a stocky older woman, looked her over speculatively. She narrowed her eyes. "There's no Harry Potter here, miss," she said slowly.

Ginny bit back an angry retort. "I know he's here," she said, keeping her voice low.

"Oh, Winifred, it's Ginny Weasley! She's dating him – don't you read the papers?" a younger receptionist piped up from beside her.

Winifred huffed. "I don't care who she is. I have strict orders not to admit anyone at all, and…."

"Ginny!" She looked up sharply to see Ron mid-stride in the hall behind, a cup of coffee clutched in his hand. He turned sharply to come toward them. "You're here!"

"Where's Harry?"

"Come on, I'll take you. She's with me, Winifred," he added, glancing at the receptionist, who scowled.

"I _told_ you," the younger witch muttered as they walked away.

"How is he? Can I see him?" Ginny asked desperately as Ron guided her, a firm hand on the small of her back, up two flights of stairs and through several sets of double doors.

Ron's expression was grim. "The medi-wizards are working on him. He looked horrible when he came in…barely conscious. I didn't get a chance to speak to him before they wheeled him into a room. They won't let anyone in now. Hermione's near-hysterical. I'm bringing her coffee…snuck some calming draught into it."

Ginny just nodded shortly, feeling a sharp fear rise in her stomach. They passed through a last pair of double doors to see Hermione pacing in front of a set of waiting chairs. She looked up sharply when they walked in.

"Hermione, did something happen?" Ron said quickly, and the panic in his voice made the fear rise so high in Ginny's throat that she felt like she was choking. Oh, Merlin…he couldn't be dead…not like this….

Hermione swallowed and shook her head. "They finished working on him…they said he's stable for now…they said we can go in to see him. But I wanted to wait for you to get back, and…." Hermione trailed off, her breath coming in fast waves, and Ron proffered her the cup of coffee.

"Take this," he said firmly, but Ginny didn't wait to see if she would comply. She strode past them and into the room behind, heart pounding hard in her chest.

The hospital room was eerily quiet. Only the beep of a few machines beside the bed broke the silence. Ginny approached the bed, heart hammering now. He was lying on his back, unconscious, his chest rising and falling shallowly. His torso was swathed in bandages, but she could see from the mottled skin that showed at the edges of clean white cloth that he was badly burned beneath. They must have healed his bones, but his legs and right arm were bruised purple and black. She felt tears rise up in her throat at the sight of him, broken on the bed, and she sank into the single chair by his bedside.

"Oh, Harry," she choked out, laying her forehead down on the edge of his bed. "Please don't do this anymore," she whispered, even though she knew he couldn't hear her, and she let the tears come.

* * *

><p>She woke with a sharp pain in her neck, and she shifted uncomfortably, wincing.<p>

"Are you all right?" She straightened quickly to see Harry, propped up in bed by two pillows, smiling gently down at her.

"Harry! How are you feeling?" she said, smiling with relief. He looked exhausted, his face was drawn and pale, but at least he was conscious.

He nodded slowly. "Better," he said. "Aching everywhere, but other than that…," he laughed a little, but winced when the movement reached his ribs. "Come up here," he said softly, patting the bed next to him.

She climbed gingerly up onto the mattress and settled herself down, carefully avoiding his wounds and laying her head down on his good shoulder. They sat in silence for a moment. "Don't you ever do that again," she said finally, smiling drily.

He froze. She had meant it to sound light-hearted, but she realized that after his conversation with Hermione it must have sounded like a reproach.

"Ginny," he said awkwardly. "You know I couldn't…."

A bustling at the door cut him off. "Okay, Mr. Potter, we need to take a look at your burns." The medi-wizard came in followed by a nurse pulling a metal cart. "I'm sorry, Miss," he added, hardly glancing Ginny's way, "but you'll have to leave."

Ginny slid off the bed. "Gin," Harry said, running a hand along her arm as she stood. "We'll talk later?"

She nodded and smiled reassuringly. "Sure, Harry."

"I love you," he added, smiling back.

She paused at that and turned to meet his eyes. "I love you too."

* * *

><p>She brought him home four days later. The media had heard about his injury, and though they had decided to transport him late in the evening, the front of the hospital was crowded with photographers and frantic reporters. They pressed their lenses and faces right up against the glass of the hospital entrance as she pushed Harry through the lobby in a wheelchair. He didn't really need it, but was using it as a precaution. They didn't want to risk Floo'ing him home either. There was no telling what the twists and turns of the tunnels would do to his delicate limbs and burns, but she didn't relish facing the crowd.<p>

"Just get past the barrier and side-along him away straight away," Hermione said again as they approached the doors.

"I know, Hermione," she replied.

The older girl nodded. "Good. He should probably go straight to bed. Ron and I will come over tomorrow to see how he's doing, all right?"

"All right," Ginny nodded in acknowledgment.

"Do you hear that, Harry?" Hermione chided, turning to him. "Straight to bed. You know what the doctor said."

"I know, Hermione," he said wearily.

"They can handle themselves, 'Mione," Ron said, shaking his head amusedly.

The guards opened the doors and the lobby was immediately flooded with noise. "Harry! Is it true that you were bitten by a werewolf?"

"Have you sustained permanent injuries?"

"Why the wheelchair, Mr. Potter? Are you paralyzed?"

Ginny rolled her eyes and pushed Harry quickly through the fray. "Bloody reporters," she muttered. She heard Harry chuckle. Finally, when they were past the hospital's Apparition barrier, Harry stood slowly, and gripping his hand hard, she thought of their flat and of the password for the wards.

When she opened her eyes again, they were in their living room, and the sudden silence was deafening. This was the first time they'd been alone since that first night at the hospital. They stood unmoving for a moment, and then Ginny released his hand.

"So should we put you straight to bed? I wouldn't put it past Hermione to come check," she said, keeping her tone light.

Harry laughed a little and he moved slowly toward the bedroom. His legs were healing well, but he was taking it slow. She stood in the living room alone for a moment, and she exhaled heavily. They needed to talk everything out…until they did, everything would be forced and awkward.

"Are you coming to bed, Gin?" he called from the end of the hall. She shook herself. It could wait.

"Yeah," she responded, following him. He was just lying his head down when she entered, and he sighed contentedly.

"I've missed this bed," he whispered, shutting his eyes and smiling.

She flipped the light switch and climbed under the covers beside him. They lay in silence for a moment, and Ginny had just decided that he must have fallen asleep when he spoke.

"I missed you too. You know that, right?" he said softly. She turned to find him looking at her, the intense green of his eyes just discernable in the darkness.

She smiled. "I know. I missed you too."

He snaked his arm toward her under the covers and grasped her hand, squeezing gently. "And I love you."

"I know. I love you too."

He turned his head back to look at the ceiling and she saw him shut his eyes. Ten minutes later, he was asleep.

* * *

><p>Some time later, Ginny jolted awake. Hermione had been right; when Harry was gone, she hardly ever slept through the night. She sighed with relief when she realized he was beside her. She supposed her body would have to get used to him being home again. It was still dark out…probably around two in the morning. She scooted over and curved her body against his side, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck.<p>

"Awake?" he whispered softly.

"Mhm," she replied, backing away a little to look at him. "How do you feel?"

"Fine," he said.

"Good." She raised her arms over head and stretched. "Mm…what time is it?"

"Um…nearly three, I think."

"Ugh…we should be sleeping," she groaned. She dusted some light kisses along his shoulder. "You need to get a full night's rest."

He didn't answer for a moment, and she had just leaned up a bit to kiss his lips when he spoke. "I have to leave again…when it gets bright out."

She froze, her face inches from his. "What?" she whispered.

He met her eyes, and she could see the consternation in them. "I promised Kingsley I'd be back on the mission as soon as I was healed."

She pushed herself away from him as if his skin had burned her. "And I'm healed," he continued, sitting up straight. He grabbed his wand from the nightstand and waved it wordlessly – the lamp flickered on and they stared at each other in the harsh light.

"You are _not_ healed, Harry," she stammered. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You've still got bandages wrapped around your torso…you're walking at the pace of a tortoise."

His brow furrowed. "They'll have to brief me on the progress they've made since I've been gone. That'll take a few days. And by then, I'll be in good enough shape for what I need to do."

"And what _exactly_ is it that you feel you need to do?" she cried, unable to keep her voice at a reasonable volume. "Get yourself bloody _killed_?"

"Ginny, calm down…," he said soothingly. His tone only infuriated her further.

"No, Harry!" she said loudly, pushing herself off the bed. "I can't calm down, and I'm bloody tired of everyone telling me to. You just almost _died_, do you not realize that?"

His expression darkened. "Of course I know that," he replied sharply. "I think I've been through enough to recognize a near-death experience when I see one, Ginny."

"Then how can you even be _considering_ putting yourself back in danger so soon?" she ranted.

"Because it's my _job_, Gin!" he snapped back, throwing the covers away from him and standing too. "Kingsley ordered me to come back as soon as I was well enough!"

"Don't you try to pass this off on Kingsley!" Ginny yelled. She knew it was a mistake to yell at him like this – she hadn't wanted this conversation to go this way – but she couldn't keep the pent-up words from pouring out of her mouth. "He hasn't been ordering you to do anything, you've been bloody volunteering!" She pointed an accusing finger at him. "_You_ signed up for this, and you've been signing up for the most dangerous missions possible every since you got there!"

That silenced him for a moment, and she could see him flush. "Did Ron tell you that?" he said lowly.

"Yeah, he did," she said. "I had to hear from _Ron_ that you've been asking to be sent out. That every time I asked you to turn down a mission, to stay home with me and just _be _with me for more than a day here and there, and you said that you had no choice, you were flat-out lying to me!"

"These missions are important, Gin," he answered, his voice quiet, "I'm out there saving people, people who _need_ me."

"But _this_," she said back, gesturing between them. "This relationship needs you, Harry. Doesn't that mean anything?" she said back. "_I_need you. I need you to ask me every day how classes are going and I need to know that every night you're going to bed safe. And I don't think that's too much to ask, Harry! I mean, bloody hell," she finished, raising her eyes to the ceiling in frustration, "I just need you to be my boyfriend for more than a day every month!"

She was surprised when his lips set into a hard, angry line. When he spoke, his voice was dangerously low. "Like Malfoy?"

She was taken aback, and for a moment she had no idea what to say. "What?" she finally managed to breathe.

"Well?" he scoffed. "That's what this relationship isn't living up to, isn't it? That's what I'm not living up to? Him? Hermione told me you saw him, and that he proposed to you before. You never told me that, Ginny."

"What?" she breathed again, anger lacing into her voice. "We are _not_ bloody talking about me and Draco, Harry Potter! I didn't tell you about the ring because he didn't bloody propose! He was going to, but then he _cheated_ on me. So no, I didn't tell you because it wasn't relevant, just like it's not relevant now!" she said, her voice rising back to a yell. "And this isn't about living up to anything! This is about you and me! This is about you having to _be__ here_ for there to _be_ a you and me!"

"I thought you knew what you were getting yourself into, Ginny!" he yelled back. His cheeks were red, his voice pounded against her eardrums. He was angrier at her than he'd ever been before. "You were perfectly happy to be with me when everything was happy and sunny at Hogwarts, but as soon as the going gets tough, I'm not good enough for you anymore! And it was the same in Sixth Year. You're happy to be my girlfriend at school when there's no danger and no bumps in the road, but as soon as things get scary, you run off with Malfoy. It's all excuses, Ginny. At the end of the day, you're the one who gives up on us!"

Her breath caught in her throat and her chest immediately flooded with anger. She crossed the room in two strides and without thinking, slapped him hard across the face.

"How _dare_ you," she spat. "I _waited_ for you, for ages and ages, Harry. Damnit, I feel like I'm always just _waiting_ for you! And you know what? Do you want to know why we're only ever good together at Hogwarts?"

"Yeah, why don't you explain that, Gin," he snapped. His cheek was turning pink, and she knew it must be stinging, but he didn't raise a hand to it. He just stared at her, his eyes dark and challenging.

"Because when you're not tied down – when you don't _have_ to be there as a student or as a professor – when you don't _have_to be with me, then the whole rest of the world is more important!" She fell silent, breathing hard.

He didn't answer for a long time, and they stood there, the words filling the space between them so that she felt claustrophobic.

"Don't you understand what this is doing to me?" she whispered finally, and now she could hear the edge of pleading in her voice. Waiting and waiting all day every day, hoping you'll come home? Seeing you barely alive and covered in bruises on that hospital bed?" She felt a pricking at the corners of her eyes and she pressed the bases of her palms against her them, as if she could physically hold the tears in. When she looked up, she could see that this was hurting him. His brow was furrowed and his jaw was set. "I could get through it if I thought there was going to be any end to it, but Merlin help me, Harry, I can't do this my whole life." Her voice hitched on the last words, and the sound seemed to force him forward.

His arms encircled her. "Oh, Ginny…," he murmured, pulling her against him. Her body heaved a little at his touch, and the tears came in full-force, racing down her cheeks and soaking into his shirt. They sank onto the bed, her body shaking, her face pressed against his chest, and his lips buried in her hair.

They sat there in silence, his arms around her, for a long time after her sobs had subsided. Finally, the early morning light began to filter into the room through the windows, and Ginny had never been less happy to see the sun.

He pulled away slowly and she looked up to meet his eyes, which had morphed back from dark flints into their usual bright green. "So what now?" he said hesitantly.

She swallowed. She knew what she needed to say, but right now the temptation to let it go was incredibly strong. She shook herself. No. She needed to say it. "I can't do this anymore, Harry," she said softly, not breaking their gaze. "But not just I _can__'__t_. I _won__'__t_. I won't do it anymore."

He didn't answer for what felt like full minutes, and she found that she was holding her breath. But then he brought his hands up and rubbed them hard across his face, and she felt her heart sink. "I'm sorry, Gin…," he whispered.

"Okay," she said, a little too sharply. She didn't want to hear anymore. She nodded briskly and stood, clenching her hands to keep a fresh wave of tears down. "I'll come back tomorrow and pack up my things," she added, refusing to look at him.

"Ginny," he said. She could hear the pain in his voice, and it made her heart twist in her chest.

But she pressed her nails into her palms and walked determinedly away down the hall and out of the flat. She closed the door behind her and pressed her back against the wall beside it. Her heart was pounding hard, circulating an aching pain throughout her body, but she forced herself to stay standing against the wall. A small, hopeful part of her hoped he would follow her, beg her to stay, tell her for once that she was more important than Auror missions and saving the whole world.

But he didn't.

And after half an hour of standing alone on the doorstep, breathing the cold air deep into her lungs, she went down the stairs and walked away.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Sigh, this was hard to write - I hope it turned out all right. The next chapter will jump ahead quite a bit in time and we'll be getting other POV's (besides Ginny's) which I'm very excited about. Also, Draco will be back in full force. So I'll get that up as soon as possible. In the meantime, please review and tell me what you think! But please be nice! I totally respect if you've stopped enjoying the story or have decided to stop reading or have other concerns, but I would appreciate if you could let me know in a constructive, non-mean-spirited way, please :) I'm always trying to improve my writing, so constructive criticism is very welcome :) And, of course, if you're liking the story, I love hearing from you too!


	29. Crossroads, or All We Have in Common

**Author****'****s**** Note:** Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! You're all very encouraging, and you inspire me to write and update more quickly! So without further ado, here's Chapter 28 – note the time jump, and please read the Author's Note at the end.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter<strong>** 28:**** Crossroads**, or **All**** We**** Have ****in**** Common**

* * *

><p><em>Two years later<em>

Twenty-four-year-old Harry Potter rubbed the back of his neck agitatedly, glaring at the file before him.

"Trying to solve it by pure force of will?" Ron said amusedly from the desk opposite.

"You never know, it might work," he replied, but he shoved the red folder away with a frustrated grunt and sat back in his chair.

"Don't worry, mate," Ron said genially, "Forensics is on it. I'm sure they'll get us a lead."

"I just _know_ we're missing something about these notes they leave at the scene…some pattern…but I can't _quite_…." He sighed again and shook himself. They were trying to track down a gang responsible for a series of break-ins in central London. But so far, they'd had no luck, and the criminals were getting more daring, taking more valuable property with each successive robbery.

"Well, you know what they say…," Ron replied. "Shake it off, have a drink, look at it later."

Harry raised his eyebrows skeptically, the corners of his mouth turning up. "The only person who says that is you."

"And look where it's gotten me," the red-head returned easily, "Steady work, good health, _and_," he shot Harry a significant look, "A lovely wife to spend my evenings with."

"Oh, not this _again_," Harry said, rolling his eyes.

"I'm just saying," Ron replied, putting up his hands in a conciliatory gesture. "It wouldn't kill you to go on a date every once in a while."

"I go on plenty of dates!" he protested.

"You're right," Ron conceded, throwing his feet up on his desk and leaning far back in his chair. "It wouldn't kill you to go on a _second_ date every once in a while. Or to get a steady girlfriend, for that matter."

Harry shot him a glare; Ron just smirked. His best friend had him, of course. Harry went on plenty of casual first dates with friends of friends, girls he met through work…hell, he even went out with Muggle women every once in a while. But of those, he'd probably asked two or three to go out again, and it never went any further than that.

"Well, I'm busy with work," he said.

"Granted," Ron replied, "But the rest of us manage somehow."

"You know I have a bigger caseload than you do," Harry answered, "And anyway, women don't take well to the amount I'm gone and the kinds of cases I do."

"Excuses," Ron quipped. "And anyway, it's not 'women.' It's one woman, who happens to be my sister, and have you actually been around any of these women long enough to ask them if they have a problem with your job? No? I thought not."

Harry rolled his eyes. Ron was nothing if not persistent. "Well then I'm happy as I am, thanks very much," he said, and he punctuated the statement with a firm look to warn Ron away from the subject.

"All right, all right," Ron said, raising his hands again. "But I'm just saying. Maybe you should try dating another Auror. There are plenty of female Aurors in our department, not to mention other countries' departments, and they _definitely_ wouldn't have a problem with your line of work."

Harry shrugged. Ron was right, naturally. It was all excuses, but he wasn't about to tell Ron what he'd been thinking lately. He'd made a decision, and he just had one loose end to tie up to confirm that it was the right one. "Well, I suppose I've received my weekly lecture, then?" he said finally, grinning amusedly across the two desks.

"Exactly," Ron said, grinning back. "Hermione's got next week."

"Hey, Ron!" They both turned to look at Ben Wilmsby, who was sitting a couple desks away. "Your hot lunch date's here."

"You are aware she's his sister, right?" Cathy Kipling said from the desk beside Harry's.

"Yeah, Wilms, you better watch it," Ron said, wagging a warning finger at him as he swung his legs off the desk.

"Not that I'm not flattered."

Harry's gaze darted to the doorway. Ginny Weasley was leaning against the threshold, eyebrows raised and an amused grin on her lips.

He didn't see her very often – they both spent Christmas at the Burrow, of course, but he was on missions a lot and hadn't made it to many Weasley family dinners over the past two years. To be entirely honest, for the first few months, he'd taken to volunteering for weekend cases just to avoid going. The pained expression that occasionally broke through Ginny's carefully constructed demeanor had mirrored his own feelings too precisely, and the vaguely accusatory looks from her brothers had just added insult to injury. And after those first few months, it had just become habit to find something else to do with his Sundays.

Two months ago, he'd heard from Hermione that McGonagall had recommended Ginny for an opening in the Ministry's Education Policy Department, and he'd been seeing more of her lately since she'd taken the post and started working two floors up. She and Ron had lunch every once in a while.

She'd cut her hair short after they broke up. It fell just a few inches below her chin now. He'd always loved her hair long, but he had to admit that she looked great this way. And she dressed more formally now that she worked at the Ministry – dark slacks and a pale blue sweater.

"Ready to go, Ron?" she was saying.

"Yep, gimme two seconds. I just have to lock this file up." He brandished the red file before him and bounded off toward the heavily-warded file room.

She turned to him and Harry smiled tightly. "Hi, Harry, how are you? Ron mentioned you just got back from a mission?" she said politely.

"Yeah, it's always nice to be home after a month away," he replied. She nodded and he cleared his throat. "How are you? How's the new job?"

She smiled brightly at that. "It's going really well, thanks for asking. I like it a lot."

He grinned back.

"All right," Ron said, striding back into the room. "Where are we going? Cafeteria?"

"I've only been here two months, but even I know not to eat in the cafeteria," Ginny laughed.

"We'll find somewhere else then," Ron chuckled. "See you later, mate." He gave Harry and quick nod and they disappeared out the door.

Harry leaned back in his chair, feeling his muscles relax. He hadn't realized how tense he'd been for the past few minutes. He looked at his watch and pushed back his chair. Now was as good a time as any to tie up that loose end. He didn't relish the prospect, but seeing Ginny had reinforced his conviction. He needed to do this.

"Got a date too, Potter?" Cathy asked good-naturedly as he stood and grabbed his coat and wand.

Harry snorted. "Definitely not a date. More of a meeting. An important one."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "Well, good luck then," she said amusedly.

"Thanks."

He took the elevator down to the lobby and swung his coat around him as he ventured out of the building and into the winter cold. He made his way along the London streets and through the Leaky Cauldron into Diagon Alley. He ignored the stares he got as he made his way down the Alley. He was glad that the tabloids at least had backed off after he and Ginny had broken up. They still printed pieces every time he went on a date with a new girl, but it was nothing like the media frenzy of two years ago. He supposed that they were all rather boring without that bloody "love triangle" trash, and the thought made him smile ironically.

The interior of Gringotts was warmed to a comfortable temperature, and Harry shed his coat and swung it easily over his arm as he crossed the marble floor to the set of elevators at the end of the room. He pressed the button for the topmost floor – of course he worked in the penthouse, _the_ _git_.

The elevator deposited him in a pristine lobby, and the information on a shiny bronze placard directed him to the end of a long hallway. The offices he passed were much more spacious and neater than the unmitigated chaos of the Auror Department. Finally, he came to a wide waiting area before the corner office and strode confidently up to the witch seated at a desk before the door – _Ingrid__ Jones,__ Secretary_, according to the little sign on her desk.

"Is he in?" he asked shortly, glancing at the door.

She looked up, recognized him, and immediately flushed. She cleared her throat. "No…," she stammered. "He's at a meeting. He'll be back soon…."

Harry nodded. "I'll wait." He sank down onto one of the armchairs across from her desk, trying to ignore the fact that Ingrid was getting more and more red with each moment he stayed there.

He didn't have to wait long.

Seven minutes later, the man in question strode into the room, a scowl on his face. "Ingrid, can you please let Higgins know that the deal fell through?" he said, barely glancing at her as he opened the door to his office. "He'll need to draw up a new contract."

"Of course, Sir," she said. "But you…you have a visitor…."

He paused and turned with his hand on his office doorknob. To anyone else, he would've looked unfazed at the sight of Harry Potter in his office waiting room, but Harry, who had had years of experience reading people, saw his expression harden ever-so-slightly. "Potter," he said neutrally, but there was a guarded edge to his voice.

Harry nodded back shortly. "Malfoy. We need to talk."

* * *

><p>Draco Malfoy hesitated. He held Potter's gaze for a long moment, trying to discern what this could be about. The two of them had no outstanding business. Hell, he hadn't seen Potter in years, except in the papers, of course. And this certainly wasn't a friendly visit; they didn't even like each other. They had only ever had one thing in common, and that had ended for both of them years ago.<p>

But Potter looked serious, so finally his gaze flicked to Ingrid. "Cancel my one o'clock meeting, please." Then he gestured for the other man to precede him into his office and shut the door firmly behind them.

He crossed to the other side of his desk and sat down. "So what is this about?" he said sharply, raising his eyebrows.

Harry paused. "I heard about your father last year," he said finally, sitting slowly into one of the armchairs opposite. "I'm sorry."

Draco was a little caught off guard by this, but he didn't let it show on his face. "I appreciate that," he nodded, "But I hardly think you've come to offer condolences on my father's death a year after the fact."

"I have some questions I want answered," Harry replied, and Draco was a little miffed that he wasn't more fazed by the rudeness.

"About what?" he asked, though he was fairly certain where this was going.

"You and Ginny," Harry said, and again, Draco was rather surprised at the directness.

He met Potter's eyes and shook his head. "Unfortunately, I don't particularly want to dredge all that up again. And even if I did, Potter," he added, "you're the _last_ person I would want to discuss it with."

Harry snorted. "Point taken." He fell silent for a moment, and Draco just regarded him, eyebrows raised challengingly. The tension in the room was palpable. Finally, Harry sat forward in his chair. "You know, Malfoy," he said, "I hated you from the first time we met in Diagon Alley before First Year."

Despite himself, Draco felt the corners of his mouth twitch with amusement. "You're one of the best Aurors in the department and that's your technique for getting information out of people?" he laughed. "Aren't you supposed to flatter me, make me think you're my friend, all that?"

Potter grinned. "Threatening them at wand point works just as well," he said.

"I hope that's not in the cards this afternoon."

"No," Harry replied, chuckling. "Not that I didn't consider it."

Draco smirked and sat back comfortably in his chair. The tension had dissipated somewhat.

"But as much as I hated you at school, I never saw you as a competitor. No, Voldemort was the real threat. You were just a bully. So when I came home and saw you with her, it was like a bloody punch in the gut."

Draco raised his eyebrows. He didn't know what to say. This was far more honest, personal information than he had ever expected to hear from Harry Potter. "You're breaking my heart, Potter," he said sarcastically, but he stood. "I think we're going to need a drink."

He went to the cabinet and poured two scotches, sliding one across the desk. He expected Harry to lean forward for it, but he stayed where he was and stretched his hand out to catch it just before it fell off onto the ground. Draco was impressed despite himself. Perfect hand-eye coordination.

"Thanks. And I never figured you out after that, Malfoy," Harry continued. "At first, I was sure I was still right about you and that you'd fooled her…taken advantage of her somehow." He laughed. "Even though I don't think there's a man alive who could take advantage of Ginny Weasley."

Draco smiled drily. Too true.

"But then I saw you together, and I figured I was the one who was wrong. It seemed real. And then your relationship goes up in flames, and you're exactly who I thought you were originally." Harry took a long sip of his drink. "I can usually categorize people – good or bad, right or wrong, friend or enemy – but I haven't been able to pin you down for years, and it's frustrating as hell."

He stopped speaking and took another long drink. Draco held his gaze for a moment and then nodded. "All right, Potter," he said. "But first, I'm starving. I haven't eaten all day." He pressed the speaker button. "Ingrid? Can I get lunch now, please?"

"Should I bring something for Mr. Potter?" she answered, her voice practically cooing with excitement. Draco rolled his eyes and Harry smirked.

"If you must," he replied.

"Nice girl," Harry commented.

Draco shot him a glare. "She reads too many tabloids," he replied testily.

"Speaking of tabloids," Harry answered. "I read that you're dating Daphne Greengrass's sister? What's her name?"

"Astoria. But I'm not dating her. Tabloids like to make things up, or hadn't you noticed after all these years?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "And here I thought you were one who believed what they wrote in the gossip section."

"If you're referring to me punching you in the face three years ago, I'm not sorry at all," Draco quipped, smirking. "I'd wanted to do that for years."

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door, and Ingrid bustled in with a large metal tray levitating before her. She set a plate before Draco and handed Harry the whole tray, which he balanced easily on one knee.

"Much better than the trash they feed you at the Ministry, I'm sure," he said self-satisfactorily as Potter started in on the food.

"Well, some of us don't have time to eat full steak meals for lunch," Harry countered.

They traded thinly veiled insults as they finished the food, but finally, Draco pushed his plate away and took another swig of scotch. "So I assume from the fact that you're here that she's seeing someone and you want to draw me into your little pity party?" he said, meeting Potter's eyes.

Harry glared at him. "Hardly. No, she was dating some guy she met through Fred for a while, but they broke up a couple months ago. And before that there was that American bloke she met at a pub, but that only lasted a few weeks."

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Rebound?"

"Mm, that was my analysis."

Draco nodded and took another sip of alcohol. After she and Potter had broken up, she hadn't been in the papers much anymore, and he'd been rather embarrassingly and masochistically curious about her love life.

"Do you see her much?" he asked.

Potter shrugged. "More than you."

He rolled his eyes. "Well I haven't seen her since that Ministry fundraiser two years ago, Potter, so that hardly answers my question."

"More now that she works at the Ministry…maybe once a week," Harry answered.

Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise. "She doesn't work at Hogwarts anymore?"

"You didn't know?" Harry replied, raising his eyebrows with the trace of a self-satisfied smirk on his lips. _The__git_, Draco thought. "She got offered a post in the Education Policy Department…took it two months ago. She comes by to see Ron a lot. Other than that, I see her around the holidays and occasionally when I'm not working."

Draco nodded smugly. "That was always your problem, wasn't it? Working too much."

Potter just nodded, and Draco narrowed his eyes. This wasn't just about reminiscing. There was something more going on.

"So, get on with it," he said shortly. "What do you want to know."

Harry met his eyes. "Was it real?" he asked directly.

Draco didn't blink, but he felt a sharp flash of annoyance. "You're an arse. Of course it was real. Unlike you, I wasn't about to waste her time. Or my own."

He saw Potter's eyes flash angrily, but he didn't rise to the bait. "How did it start?"

"Why didn't you ask her?"

"She didn't like to talk about it."

"She pined after you for a year. But we went through a lot together. It's not that hard to piece together, Potter."

Harry nodded shortly. "And it was real enough for you to propose?"

Draco started. Potter had just said himself that Ginny never talked about their relationship, and he sure as hell hadn't told anyone about that ring.

Harry seemed to recognize the surprise. "Hermione heard you two talking about the ring that night…after the fundraiser," he explained.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Hermione Granger, amateur detective, strikes again. I should've known. But no," he added. "I never proposed."

"What?" Harry said, and for the first time, he seemed genuinely surprised.

"I bought the ring. Carried it around in my pocket for weeks. But then I found you two in bed together…so _no_, I never did get around to using it."

"That was nothing," Harry said. "You really shouldn't have assumed…."

"Don't get your wand in a knot, Potter. I know it was nothing. I found that out the hard way. But yes, to answer your question. It was real enough for me to want to propose."

"But not real enough to keep you from cheating on her," Harry challenged.

Draco's expression hardened. "Why all the questions, Potter? What is this _really_ about?" he asked testily.

"Because, Malfoy," Harry replied, voice rising above the calm monotone, "I know what it's like to be in love with Ginny Weasley. She's not the kind of girl you can love by half measures. And Merlin knows I don't like you, and no one has a lower opinion of your morals than me, but it doesn't add up. You can't be in love enough to propose and then jump into bed with another woman in twenty-four hours. Not with Ginny. So either you didn't cheat on her, or you never really loved her at all. And I want to know which it is."

"But _why_?" Draco insisted. "_Why_ do you want to know? Why now?"

"Just answer the bloody question, Malfoy," Potter snapped.

Draco didn't break their gaze, but his mind was racing. He knew that Potter had some kind of ulterior motive for being here, but he obviously wasn't going to get anything out of him unless he answered the question. He would have to answer. He sighed. What the hell. What did he have to lose anyway?

He exhaled heavily and opened his mouth to speak.

* * *

><p><strong>Author<strong>**'****s ****Note:** CLIFFIE...sorry! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I found writing Harry and Draco's perspectives really refreshing :) I would like to acknowledge that Harry and Draco's meeting was inspired by a scene in a fantastic fanfic I read a few years ago: _The __Devil__'__s __Triangle_ by fresh pickled toad. It's a really great fic (though sadly unfinished), and I definitely recommend that you check it out if you're enjoying this one…it's what got me into the Harry/Ginny/Draco triangle in the first place!

And now, important info! This story is coming to a close…it will diverge into the two endings _beginning __with__ the__ next__ chapter_ and after that there will only be 2-3 chapters in each ending. As many of you have guessed, there will be one Harry/Ginny ending and one Draco/Ginny ending. So here's how it's going to go: I will label the chapters "ending 1" or "ending 2" very clearly in the chapter titles. Ending 1 will be H/G and Ending 2 will be D/G, so if any of you don't want to read one of the two endings, feel free to skip around. I hope that works for everyone! And be warned, it might take me a little longer to update since I have two chapters to write so I can post simultaneously.

Please review, but once again, be gentle!


	30. Meaning, Ending 1

**Author****'****s ****Note:** Note that this is part of the H/G ending.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 29: Meaning (Ending 1)<strong>

* * *

><p>Harry met Malfoy's hard stare for a full five seconds. Then the man looked away and exhaled heavily. Harry kept his eyes trained on his face, searching it for signs of deception. He was here for the truth, and he was going to make bloody well sure he got it.<p>

"You're an idiot, Potter," Draco said finally.

Harry let out a frustrated sigh, but Malfoy's eyes flicked back up to meet his warningly, and he swallowed a retort.

Malfoy exhaled heavily once more and fixed his gaze on a spot on the desk before him, and Harry knew that whatever he was about to admit, it was difficult to say aloud. Harry found that his whole body was tensed.

"You say that it's impossible to be in love with Ginny and then to cheat on her, but it's not that simple. Everything is always so black and white for you, isn't it, Potter?" he said, smiling wryly. "I'm sure it's awfully convenient, but it makes you about as perceptive as a one-eyed mountain troll."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Is there a point to this little tangent?"

Draco smirked, but the expression faded in a moment to be replaced by a strange mixture of fierceness and thoughtfulness and something else inscrutable. He looked up to meet Harry's gaze head-on. "The point is, Potter," he said, "just because I was love with her doesn't mean that when I saw you naked in her bed I didn't want to hurt her. Because I did. I thought we were already over, and I wanted…I don't know, revenge, payback…the satisfaction of knowing that she wasn't the only one who could sleep with someone else."

"So you slept with Parkinson," Harry said slowly.

Draco nodded. A short jerk of the head, and despite himself, Harry felt a sharp pang of triumph. Malfoy turned his gaze back to the desk and continued to speak.

* * *

><p><em>Three years earlier<em>

Anger flashed in Pansy's eyes and she glared back at him. "You should know better than to try to marry for love," she hissed derisively, "When has that ever worked?"

Fierceness flared between them like a charge, and Draco felt a vengeful impulse grip his chest. Ginny had been sleeping with Potter, probably for months, and had betrayed their relationship with a sweet smile on her face and lies on her lips. It would be easy – almost too easy, he thought – to get her back. He looked down at Parkinson's lips, moist and slightly parted, inches away.

It would be so easy.

In one swift movement, he bent his head and pressed his lips violently against hers.

She immediately arched against him and her arm wrapped around him, the palm of her hand pressing hard against the back of his neck. The edges of her long nails scraped a little against his skin, and Draco winced against her mouth. She pulled away for a moment and raised her eyebrows, a challenging gleam in her eyes.

"You used to like it this rough," she smirked. "Don't tell me little Miss Weasley made you go all soft and gooey and romantic."

"Shut up, Parkinson," he growled, ignoring the fact that she was right. Sex with Ginny had been passionate as hell, but there had always been an undercurrent of tenderness. He scowled. Damnit, he didn't want to think about that. Because, right now, when he pictured Ginny in bed, he wasn't the one she was sleeping with.

Pansy laughed a little, pulling him down to kiss her again. "She was too…_good_ for you, Draco," she murmured against his lips. "And you should take that as a compliment."

"Not good enough," he observed wryly, tightening his grip on her arms and pushing her toward the bed. "Now will you please just _stop__talking_ about Ginny Weasley."

She smiled wickedly. "Whatever you want, Draco. Whatever you want."

After, Draco lay on his back, staring dully at the ceiling. Wasn't he supposed to feel triumphant? Vindicated? He'd felt the heady rush of revenge before, but all he felt now was a thick layer of self-disgust settling in his stomach.

Pansy had wrapped the sheet around herself and when she rolled to face him, Draco caught a momentary spark of self-satisfaction cross her expression. A pang of anxiety gripped him.

"What was that?" he said sharply.

"What?" she asked.

"Don't play coy, Parkinson," he snapped. "That look."

She smiled and sat up, holding the sheet to her chest with one hand and reaching up with the other to run her fingers through her horribly mussed hair. "I always knew I was stupid to leave you for Adrian," she replied. "I barely even _liked_ him, and he wasn't half so good in bed." She leaned toward him and met his eyes. "I know I'm your friend, Draco," she said softly, "And I really ought to be sad that you're hurt. But I can't pretend I'm not happy you broke up with the Weasley girl."

Draco was too stunned to speak, and he just stared at her as she smiled coolly and stood. "I'm going to shower," she said lightly, and she disappeared around the corner.

Draco sat up straight, his mind racing. He heard the water start running the loo, and he pushed himself out of bed, trying to focus on getting his clothes back on. He stood before the mirror, straightening his collar and staring blankly at his reflection. How the hell had he gotten here? A week ago he had been working up the courage to ask Ginny to marry him, and now…. He clenched his fists in frustration. Now Ginny was with Potter and he had fallen back into bed with Pansy. There had been a time – it felt like ages ago now – when he had thought that a combative relationship with Pansy was all he wanted. But he had never loved her – he knew that now – not the way he had loved Ginny...before all this.

There was a loud knock on the door, and Draco tore himself from his thoughts. He gave a last sigh of frustration before crossing the room to open it. His stomach clenched in anger when his eyes locked with Ginny's. How the hell had she found him?

"Please don't slam the door in my face!" she said quickly, and he had to restrain himself from doing just that.

"What the hell do you want, Ginny?" he said harshly. "I thought I made it clear that I don't want to hear whatever you have to say."

She launched into a string of excuses, but far from appeasing him, the pleading look on her face only made the anger rise into his throat. "I don't want to hear it," he snapped. How stupid did she think he was? He clenched his fists to keep from shaking her.

"Draco! Do you have an extra towel? I can't find one! Oh!" He watched Ginny's face blanch, and he turned to see Pansy standing in the middle of the room, pushing her wet hair from her face and holding her dress around her naked body.

He whirled back to face Ginny, and at the pained look on her face he felt the slightest shadow of that heady rush of revenge he'd been hoping for. "Ginny….," he began, feeling a mean smirk beginning on the corners of his lips.

But suddenly she reached up and slapped him hard across the face. "Don't!" His cheek was stinging fiercely, and he felt shocked anger rush back into him.

"You're going to pull that devastated girlfriend act on me?" he said, voice rising into a yell. He barked out a mirthless laugh. "Don't you _dare_ pretend you didn't already destroy this!"

He could see her chest beginning to heave with sobs, and he could tell from the pink tinge forming at her cheeks that she was desperately trying to suppress tears. He felt fear settle in his stomach. Something wasn't right. Somewhere, he had miscalculated.

"Don't try to put this on me!" she shouted. "I was just going to tell you that I let Harry sleep in my bed because he was sick! I was just going to _tell_ you that I slept on the bloody sofa! I was just going to _tell _you that nothing happened – that nothing has _ever__ happened_ between us! I was going to tell you that I love _you_, and that this…." he watched with mounting horror as she pushed her fist deep into her pocket and pulled out the velvet box. His hands went out reflexively to catch it as she thrust it at him. "…Is a beautiful ring. And I was going to tell you that if you had asked me, I would have said yes!"

He felt his throat tighten and he let out an involuntary groan. _What __had__ he __done?_ "_You_ destroyed us!" Her words were pounding against his skull so clearly that he knew he would never forget them.

She was staring up at him now, clear tears sitting at the edges of her eyes and threatening to spill over. He suppressed the reflex to brush them away, and felt a sharp pang. The reason he had to suppress the reflex to touch her was because he didn't have that right anymore. Not with Pansy naked in the room behind him. Instead, his fingers just twitched at his side. _What__ had__ he __done?_

"You know," she said finally, her voice laced with malice, "everyone told me I was crazy to date you. They told me I should be with Harry, that he was right for me. But I _defended__ you_ – I told them that you were just as noble, just as _good_ as him. But you know what, Draco, _I __was __wrong_. Because Harry would _never_ have done something like this."

The words were like a punch in the stomach, and Draco dug his fingers hard into the doorframe to keep himself upright. A sharp defiance swelled inside him, pushing the pain aside. He glared at her, eyes flashing with anger. He'd made a terrible mistake, he knew that. But after everything they had been through, everything they had meant to each other, she was going to reduce their relationship to that old trope?

"Go running back to him then, if he's so much better than me," he snapped harshly, ignoring the fact that tears were streaming down her face. Perfect Saint Potter could comfort her now, for all he cared.

"It's over, Draco," she hissed.

"You know what, Ginny?" he replied. "I think you're right about that."

And he slammed the door in her face.

* * *

><p>"You're an idiot, Malfoy," Harry said, mirroring Draco's earlier words.<p>

"I don't need you to tell me that, Potter," Draco returned, shooting him a glare. "And it didn't take you long to capitalize on my mistake, I'm sure," he said wryly.

"Four months," Harry responded shortly. "She was a mess, you know," he added, unable to keep the accusatory tone out of his voice.

Malfoy scowled at him. "I'm not proud, if that's what you're getting at."

"How long were you with Parkinson?" Harry asked.

"We were never together," Draco responded. "After what happened, I could hardly look at her, let alone…."

Harry nodded. They were silent for a moment.

Then, Draco looked up again, a fierce expression on his face. "I loved Ginny, and it was more real than any other relationship I've ever had. Hell, I think I'm still a little in love with her," he added. He laughed as he said it, but Harry saw the momentary flash that crossed his eyes. _Regret_. So he wasn't the only one who couldn't get over Ginny Weasley.

"I didn't know what I was doing – what I was _destroying_ – when I slept with Parkinson, but that doesn't change the fact that I did it."

Harry nodded again. "And she'll never forgive you. She's not the kind of girl who can forget something like that," he said. He knew it sounded harsh, but Malfoy didn't even flinch. They both knew it was true.

Draco sat back in his chair and regarded Harry appraisingly. "So, Potter," he said lightly. "Are you going to tell me why you're really here?"

Harry ran a hand through his hair. How much did he really want to confide in Malfoy? He wouldn't put it past the man to try to sabotage him somehow, even now. He didn't trust him. But Malfoy had been honest with him, he could tell, and what did he have to lose anyway? They'd established that Draco had destroyed his relationship with Ginny so thoroughly that it would never be repaired.

He met the man's cool stare. "I want her back," he said directly.

Draco's eyes flashed, but Harry didn't look away.

"But there's always been this nagging question in the back of my mind – even while I was with her – about what she had with you. And when I found out you had proposed…I needed to know exactly what happened. I needed to know that she wouldn't be happier with you."

"And now you know," Malfoy said dryly.

"Yeah," Harry replied. "Now I know."

"So now all you need to do is quit your suicidal job and she'll fall right back into your arms, is that it?"

"That's the hope," Harry answered.

Draco looked at him fiercely for a full second, and Harry's hand twitched a little apprehensively beside his wand pocket. But then Malfoy did something unexpected. He laughed.

"You're a right git, Potter," he said. "Coming here to tell me that you're about to get what I can't have."

Harry breathed a little sigh of relief. He hadn't wanted this to get physical. He stood. "I'm sorry about that," he said.

"No you're not," Malfoy returned.

Harry just nodded shortly. "You're right. I'm not," he quipped. He moved toward the door.

Just as his hand closed around the doorknob, Malfoy spoke. "She deserves to be happy, Potter," he said, and now his voice was serious. Harry turned back to face him and saw that Draco had stood to watch him go. "And if you can make her happy, then the least I can do is wish you luck. That's the least I can do for her. So good luck."

Harry's eyes widened a little in surprise. "Thank you," he said sincerely.

"But I swear to Merlin," Malfoy continued. "If you break her heart again I will personally hunt you down, and you'll get more than a punch in the jaw."

"I think if I muck it up again, Ginny will take care of that herself," Harry replied.

Malfoy smiled at that. "Too true."

And with a last short nod, Harry left the office.

* * *

><p>The door of the file room burst open. "What the hell is this?"<p>

Harry turned slowly on his heel as a red-faced, wide-eyed Ron slapped a sheet of paper down on the desk in the center of the room. He glanced down, but he didn't have to read it to know what it was. He was only mildly surprised that Kingsley had sent out the memo so quickly.

He met Ron's eyes. "I quit active duty. I'm going into training instead."

Ron glared at him. "I can see that, Harry!" he said, but then his brow furrowed with sudden understanding, and when he spoke again, his voice was softer. "For Ginny?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded, holding his gaze. "For Ginny."

Ron nodded slowly. "Does this have anything to do with your little _secret_ meeting this afternoon? Wilms is putting it around that you had a hot date...but I assume…?"

"I went to see Malfoy," Harry explained, turning away to finish storing his file.

"Malfoy?" Ron said incredulously, obviously having expected something else.

"I needed to know that it actually ended between them."

"Of course it actually ended," Ron replied.

"Ended the way he said it did," Harry explained, turning back to Ron's puzzled expression.

Ron shook himself. "Fine. Whatever," he said. "She might not take you back, you know," he said, meeting Harry's eyes with a hard look.

"I know that, but you know I have to try."

"When are you going to see her?" Ron asked.

"Right now. I just had to file all of my open cases."

Ron narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. "You're serious about this? You're going to leave all of those cases to someone else and go into training the newbies? You're going to give up all of the missions and all of the arrests? You really think you can put your nobility complex aside?"

Harry didn't blink. In fact, he felt the corners of his mouth turn up at that. "Yeah, Ron, I'm serious. Some things are more important."

Ron held his gaze searchingly for a moment, then nodded sharply. He produced a quill from the inside of his robes and scribbled a few short lines on the back of Kingsley's memo. "Here's her address," he said. He glanced at his watch. "She should be getting home around now."

Harry crossed the room and gave Ron a quick pat on the shoulder as he went to the door. "Thanks, mate," he said.

"Don't screw it up, Harry," Ron added sternly. Harry paused in the doorway. "I've watched you two muck each other around too many times, and Merlin knows it's not always your fault. But she's my sister, and she's moved on, and if you screw it up, there will be plenty of angry men ready to knock the stuffing out of you."

Harry smiled wryly. "So I've heard." He'd been getting a lot of that today.

* * *

><p>He glanced down at the scrap of paper tucked into his palm and looked back up at the road before him. This was it. The street was wide and lined with trees. Even though they were bare now, Harry could tell they must keep the street comfortably shady during the summer. He made his way down to the third building. The outer door to the lobby was locked, and Harry looked around for a moment before spotting the grey speaker box on the wall a few inches to the right of the door. Ginny's name was listed next to the button labeled "Flat Three."<p>

Harry took a deep breath. Past the pounding of his heart in his chest, he felt a tiny pinprick of amusement. For the past two years he'd faced desperate Death Eaters and made dozens of arrests, but facing Ginny Weasley now was more frightening than any of that.

He pressed the button and a harsh buzz sounded, and then her voice filtered out through the speaker. "Hello? Hello? Damn, is this thing working? I'm sorry, I've never quite figured out how to use this thing…can you hear me?"

Harry couldn't help but grin. "Ginny? It's Harry," he said, chuckling a little.

The speaker was silent, and his grin faded as quickly as it had appeared.

Finally she spoke. She sounded polite, but Harry could just make out the edge of wariness in her tone. "Harry?"

He swallowed. "Is it okay that I'm here?" he answered.

Another long pause. Then, a little hesitantly, "Sure it is. Why don't you come up?"

She buzzed him in and he took the stairs two at a time, going over what he was going to say in his head, trying to organize his points.

She was standing in her doorway when he got to the third floor landing. She had pulled her hair back into a ponytail and changed into loose-fitting jeans and was chewing her bottom lip. She smiled as he came up to her.

"This is _actually_ really convenient," she said, "I have a bottle of wine I'm about to open."

"So I'm roped into the drinking committee, am I?" Harry replied.

"Price of entry," she answered, standing back to let him inside. She was masking her earlier wariness so effectively that Harry was sure anyone else wouldn't have been able to see it. But he could tell it was still there, lingering just below the surface.

"Excellent," he said, grinning. "I can't believe I've never been here," he added, surveying the room as she shut the door behind them. "You've been here, what? Three months?"

The living room was small and cozy. There was a lively fire in the grate and a comfortable-looking sofa and armchair were ringed by stacks of books. Ginny wasn't a neat person, and old Prophets and used glasses and mugs dotted the room, but it felt homey somehow.

"Ever since I left Hogwarts," she said. "So yeah, nearly three months." Her tone was light, and Harry knew that they were both studiously not observing that it had been years since they had been alone together.

"I should've brought you a flat-warming gift or something," he said, "Sorry."

She waved her hand. "Don't worry about it."

They looked at each other for a moment, but just as Harry had managed to swallow the blockage in his throat and opened his mouth to speak, she turned away and crossed to the kitchen. She held up the bottle and shook it significantly, smiling.

"It was a gift from Hermione when I got the new job," she said, pouring two glasses and holding one out to him.

"Any good?"

"Let's find out." She took a sip and made a face. Harry laughed.

"That bad?"

"She said she did all the research and learned that this is the best wine for a congratulatory gift," Ginny said incredulously, surveying the bottle label.

Harry took a sip and coughed. "Did she _taste __it_?" he sputtered.

Ginny laughed aloud and crossed back past him to settle on the armchair. "Unlikely," she said. "Why bother? Research never lies, after all."

Harry grinned and sat down on the sofa.

"So," she said politely. "How's work?"

Harry took another bitter sip of wine, put it deliberately down on the coffee table, and met her eyes. "I'm changing jobs, actually," he said.

She blinked. "To what?"

"I'm going to be training new recruits. I've left active duty."

She held his gaze searchingly, and Harry knew she had understood the significance of what he was saying. "When did all this happen?" she asked slowly.

"Today," he answered shortly. His heart was hammering heard in his chest. He managed to keep his facial expression neutral, but he was gripping the armrest hard in his right hand.

"Why?" she said finally.

He willed himself not to take his eyes from hers. He had waited too long – _far_ too long – to get to this moment. "I miss you, Gin," he said softly, and it was both the answer to her question and one of the most honest statements he'd ever made.

His chest tightened as she hesitated. Merlin…what if this was a huge mistake? What if she didn't feel anything for him anymore? What if he had seriously miscalculated?

"It's been two years, Harry," she replied finally.

He gripped the armchair even harder than before. "Two years too long," he replied earnestly. "I screwed up, Ginny. I chose wrong, and it's taken me two years too long to realize it."

With one swift movement, she pushed herself out of the armchair and paced to the fireplace, leaning her arm on the mantelpiece with her back to him. "Bloody hell, Harry," she murmured, pressing her forehead against the wood. "What are you trying to do to me?"

"I made a huge mistake, Gin, and now I'm just trying to be honest with you, Gin," he replied.

"Honesty was never your problem, Harry," she replied, and he could hear the slightest tinge of frustration in her voice.

He barreled on. This wasn't the time for half-measures. It was all or nothing. "I never meant to hurt you, Ginny…."

She whirled to face her, her eyes blazing. "It doesn't take malice to hurt someone, Harry," she snapped.

That silenced him. He felt his heart constrict. This had just been another mistake…she wasn't going to forgive him. He could see it in the tenseness of her shoulders and the hard set of her jaw. But he forced himself to look straight into her eyes anyway. He was going to say it and walk away, and then she would know and that could be the end of it.

"I'm sorry – so sorry – for picking everything else over you. Because if there's one thing that I've finally learned," he laughed mirthlessly, "it's that if you love something – _really _love something and you lose it, then everything else is meaningless. And I still love you, Ginny. Never stopped and probably never will."

The anger faded from her eyes, but she still didn't move from her place by the mantel. Finally, after five seconds that felt like an eternity, he looked away and began to stand. "But you don't owe me anything. So I'll just…I'll just go."

"Wait."

He froze and looked back up at her as she crossed the small room and sat beside him. She pressed a hand gently on his shoulder to press him back down onto the sofa.

"Wait," she repeated, and he just nodded. He realized he was holding his breath.

She was looking down at her lap, her brow furrowed in thought. Finally, she looked up again. Her expression was set in determination. "You have to promise me that this is for real," she said seriously. "You have to promise that you won't run back to active duty as soon as things are all great and dandy again."

She waited for him to nod in assent.

"Because I swear to Merlin, Harry, if you put me through this _again_, I don't know what I'll do," she added harshly.

"Never again," he said softly, trying not to let the well of hope springing up inside him to get ahead of the conversation.

She paused for a moment, searching his eyes, and then she exhaled heavily. She leaned forward until her forehead was resting against his chest. "I've missed you too, Harry," she whispered.

Harry felt a relief so strong that it was almost pain rush through him, and raised his arms to wrap them around her, but suddenly she pulled away.

"Tomorrow night," she said, meeting his eyes with a light smile playing around her lips, "you're going to take me out on a proper date. Dinner. Dancing. Romantic walk in the moonlight."

Harry grinned. "Done."

"And…," she looked at him speculatively and then folded her legs beneath her to raise herself up on the sofa. He blinked in confusion. Then she lowered her lips to his in a soft kiss. "Good," she said with a satisfied smirk as she pulled away.

"What?"

"You're still a fantastic kisser."

Harry laughed aloud. "Any more tests you'd like me to pass?" he asked.

"Just one," she answered.

"And what would that be?"

She smiled cheekily. "Win me back, Harry Potter."

He bent his head, and before she could say another word, he pressed his lips against hers in a searing kiss. When he pulled away she looked a little daze, and he grinned. "I intend to."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>I know a lot of hardcore D/G shippers swore they wouldn't read this ending, so I'd love it if those of you who _did_ read it could review and tell me what you think!


	31. Truth, Ending 2

**Author****'****s**** Note:** Note that this is part of the D/G ending.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 29: Truth (Ending 2)<strong>

* * *

><p>Bright green eyes were boring into his own, and Draco had the uncomfortable feeling that this was what it <em>really<em> felt like to be interrogated by Harry Potter. But he met the harsh glare with flinching. He had no intention of lying. He knew that's what Potter was on the lookout for – more lies. But for the first time in three years, he was going to tell the truth.

* * *

><p><em>Three years earlier<em>

Anger flashed in Pansy's eyes and she glared back at him. "You should know better than to try to marry for love," she hissed derisively, "When has that ever worked?"

Fierceness flared between them like a charge, and Draco felt a vengeful impulse grip his chest. Ginny had been sleeping with Potter, probably for months, and had betrayed their relationship with a sweet smile on her face and lies on her lips. It would be easy – almost too easy, he thought – to get her back. He looked down at Parkinson's lips, moist and slightly parted, inches away.

It would be so easy.

But then something flashed at Pansy's neck. His eyes darted down to the glittering gold chain that disappeared beneath the fabric of her blouse. "Draco?" Pansy murmured, all seduction, but suddenly, he wasn't thinking about revenge anymore. All he could think of was that locket – that damn gold locket – the one he'd given Ginny on the night of her seventeenth birthday. The night they'd watched the sunset from the air and the night she'd kissed him in the old broom-shed behind the Burrow. The night all the dancing around each other had ended and everything else had begun.

And as the flashing of memories subsided, he knew with an absolute and painful certainty that he couldn't do this. Not because Ginny didn't deserve it – he didn't owe her anything, not anymore – but because he knew it wouldn't do any good. Sex with Pansy would just be cheap and spiteful, and after what he'd lost, cheap and spiteful weren't going to be enough to make him feel better. Not by a long shot.

His arms dropped to his side and he stepped back.

A harsh silence filled the room, and when Draco looked up again, Parkinson was glaring at him. He could see the fury building in her eyes, but he didn't look away. "I can't," he said directly.

Pansy made a derisive sound in her throat. "Can't do what, exactly? Be a man?"

"No," he replied harshly, rolling his eyes. "I can't have meaningless revenge sex with you."

"Why not?" she answered fiercely, "You enjoyed it plenty back at school."

"Different life, Pansy," he answered, glaring right back.

She made another derisive sound. "What the hell happened to you, Draco?" she hissed.

"I grew up," he countered, but she continued over him, voice rising with each moment.

"You were powerful and influential and privileged, and you came from the right family – you're a _Malfoy_, for Merlin's sake – and the Dark Lord even honored you with a task. But then you went and screwed it all up by being a _coward_ in the Astronomy Tower," she sneered. "And you know what," she continued, yelling now, "even then, I _defended_ you. When those idiots Crabbe and Goyle made snide comments about you, I told them they'd better watch themselves because when we got back to school you'd hex them so hard they wouldn't be able to see straight for days. But then you don't show up next term and you completely disappear off the face of the earth, and next thing I know Potter's back and everything's gone to hell and you show up _on __the __other __side_ with a blood-traitor on your arm!"

"Don't call her that," Draco growled warningly, almost by reflex.

Pansy slammed her hand down on the table in the middle of the room. "Hanging around with all those bloody Gryffindors really made you a pushover, Draco," she yelled. "She's been making a fool out of you for months, and you're still defending her!"

"I am _not_ defending her!" Draco shouted back. "But all that crap about the Dark Lord and bloodlines and the right family is old news, Pansy, and the sooner you figure that out, the better."

Her face red with fury, Pansy pulled her wand from her sleeve. "Don't you _dare_ say that," she snarled.

He snorted derisively. "Go ahead, curse me. Won't change the fact that all of our purity and family honor doesn't mean shit anymore."

Pansy was nearly shaking with anger now, and she raised her wand. His hand went to his own wand in his back pocket and he threw up a shield just as she hissed a low spell.

A cutting hex flew from her wand and he watched in horror as it rebounded. She ducked away from it, but it grazed the side of her arm and there was a sickening slicing sound. Pansy inhaled sharply as a large gash opened up just below her shoulder and dark red blood began to soak onto the sleeve of her dark dress and across her skin.

His shield disappeared, and in a moment he was at her side, raising his wand above the wound. He whispered a quick healing spell and she sighed with relief as the cut closed up.

"What the hell were you thinking, Pansy?" he growled, backing away. He was breathing hard. He ran an agitated hand across the back of his neck. "You could've been killed! You're lucky you dodged the worst of it!"

Pansy glared at him. "No," she countered. "_You__'__re_ lucky you got your shield up."

Draco narrowed his eyes at her, but he knew the argument was over. "Go wash yourself up, Pansy," he said harshly. "You've got blood all over you. I don't want people to think I was trying to murder you in here. And then get out."

She stalked past him toward the loo, but she paused just before going inside and fixed him with a bitter look. "You're an embarrassment, Malfoy," she said, and then she disappeared around the corner.

Moments later, he heard the shower start up, and he exhaled heavily. He pressed the bases of his palms hard into his eyes. How the _hell_ had things gotten like this so suddenly? This had to be some kind of bloody nightmare. He slammed his palm against the wall again in frustration. How the _hell_ had this happened?

There was a loud knock on the door, and Draco tore himself from his thoughts. He gave a last sigh of frustration before crossing the room to open it. His stomach clenched in anger when his eyes locked with Ginny's. How the hell had she found him?

"Please don't slam the door in my face!" she said quickly, and he had to restrain himself from doing just that.

"What the hell do you want, Ginny?" he said harshly. "I thought I made it clear that I don't want to hear whatever you have to say."

She launched into a string of excuses, but far from appeasing him, the pleading look on her face only made the anger rise into his throat. "I don't want to hear it," he snapped. How stupid did she think he was? He clenched his fists to keep from shaking her.

"Draco! Do you have an extra towel? I can't find one! Oh!" He watched Ginny's face blanch, and he turned to see Pansy standing in the middle of the room, pushing her wet hair from her face and holding her dress around her naked body. Ginny inhaled sharply, and Draco suddenly realized just how this must look to her. If things hadn't been completely ruined between them before, this would have done it. He saw the quick spark of satisfied amusement that crossed Pansy's eyes and knew she was thinking exactly the same thing.

He whirled back around. "Ginny…," he began. But suddenly she reached up and slapped him hard across the face. "Don't!" His cheek was stinging fiercely, and he felt shocked anger rush back into him.

"You're going to pull that devastated girlfriend act on me?" he said, voice rising into a yell. He barked out a mirthless laugh. "Don't you _dare_ pretend you didn't already destroy this!"

He could see her chest beginning to heave with sobs, and he could tell from the pink tinge forming at her cheeks that she was desperately trying to suppress tears. His brow furrowed in uneasiness. Something wasn't right.

"Don't try to put this on me!" she shouted. "I was just going to tell you that I let Harry sleep in my bed because he was sick! I was just going to _tell_ you that I slept on the bloody sofa! I was just going to _tell _you that nothing happened – that nothing has _ever __happened_ between us! I was going to tell you that I love _you_, and that this…," shock glued him in place as she pushed her fist deep into her pocket and pulled out the velvet box. His hands went out reflexively to catch it as she thrust it at him. "…Is a beautiful ring. And I was going to tell you that if you had asked me, I would have said yes!"

He made a sound in his throat as a relief mixed with a heady sort of happiness flooded through his body. He leaned slightly against the doorway to keep himself upright against the force of it. She was staring up at him now, clear tears sitting at the edges of her eyes and threatening to spill over. He clenched his fists to recover himself so that he could tell her that everything – absolutely everything – had been a huge misunderstanding, but then she spoke again.

"You know," she hissed, and her voice was laced with more malice than Draco had ever heard in it. "Everyone told me I was crazy to date you. They told me I should be with Harry, that he was right for me. But I _defended__ you_ – I told them that you were just as noble, just as _good_ as him. But you know what, Draco, _I __was__ wrong_. Because Harry would _never_ have done something like this."

The words were like a punch in the stomach, and Draco dug his fingers hard into the doorframe as all of the happiness rushed out of him just as quickly as it had come. A sharp defiance swelled inside him, pushing the relief aside. He glared at her, eyes flashing with anger. _How__ dare__ she?_ After everything they had been through, everything they had meant to each other, she was going to reduce their relationship to that old trope? Even when he'd thought she was a liar, he had at least respected her enough to acknowledge that they'd had something _real_. But no, she was willing to treat him like she had in school, with the same old contempt, as if the past three years had never happened. He felt his jaw set. _To __hell __with __her._

And before he quite knew what he was doing, he fixed her with a steely look. "Go running back to him then, if he's so much better than me," he snapped harshly, ignoring the fact that tears were streaming down her face. Perfect Saint Potter could comfort her now, for all he cared.

"It's over, Draco," she hissed.

"You know what, Ginny?" he replied. "I think you're right about that."

And he slammed the door in her face.

* * *

><p>Potter was looking at him acidly. "So you didn't cheat on her?" he ground out.<p>

"Apparently we need to add inability to hear to your list of deficiencies," Draco said dryly.

Harry didn't react to the dig. "And you didn't tell Ginny the truth because of some stupid insult she made in the heat of the moment?"

Draco scowled. "You have no idea what it was like hearing those words come out of her mouth, Potter," he said testily. "She as good as told me she'd rather be with you. And not just that – she would've been better off with you all along."

"Because she thought you cheated on her, Malfoy!" Harry replied loudly. "She has the Weasley temper! She lashes out! For Merlin's sake, how long were you with her, again?"

Draco felt a flash of anger. "My relationship with Ginny had an expiration date from the moment you came back." he said, voice low. He jabbed his index finger into his desk to punctuate his words. "We had fight after fight about it. But no matter what she said, I knew it was only a matter of time before she realized our relationship was just a temporary detour on the road to becoming Mrs. Ginny Potter just like everyone always wanted. And that statement confirmed it. So don't try to tell me what happened that day, Potter. Who the hell do you think you are, anyway?"

"I think I'm the only guy the world who can tell you with absolute certainty that _there __was__ nothing__ going__ on_ between me and Ginny while she was with you," he said impatiently. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then shrugged. "Sure there was flirting," he admitted, a dry smile on his lips, "We always had chemistry." Draco scowled at him, but he barreled on. "But even I could tell that she was happy with you and that the two of you were in it for the long haul. But you know what, Malfoy? I guess I just underestimated how stupid you really are."

"What do you want from me, Potter?" Draco snapped impatiently. "Or are you really here just to speak in riddles and insult me?"

Harry pushed himself from his seat and slapped his hand down hard on Draco's desk. "Damnit! I _wanted_ you to say that you cheated on her and that I could go win her back knowing that she really would be better off with me."

Draco laughed. "Oh, so that's it, is it? Perfect little Harry Potter can't get a girl if he thinks she might be happier elsewhere? You always were too noble."

Harry leaned forward so they were face to face across the desk. "Don't test me, Malfoy," he said. Then he met Draco's eyes. "You're making a huge mistake. I'm probably the only other man in the world who knows just what you're losing every second you don't go to her flat and tell her the truth. I know she was happy with you, and I'll be damned if the only reason I end up with her is because of your trumped up sense of pride." He paused, but he didn't break their gaze. Finally, "I'll have Ron Owl you her address. Don't screw this up, Malfoy, because I won't be giving you another chance."

And with a quick jerk, and as if it took no small amount of willpower to do so, Harry pushed himself away from the desk and went to the door.

Draco was stunned to silence. "Potter," he said sharply, and Harry hesitated with his hand on the doorknob. "Why are you doing this for me?"

Harry looked over his shoulder and fixed him with a stern look. "Trust me, Malfoy, I am _not_ doing it for you. Merlin knows you don't deserve a second chance. But she does." And then he walked out of the office and the door slammed behind him.

Draco sat back in his chair, exhaling heavily. A million thoughts pounded through his mind and he shut his eyes hard to calm himself. But one thing Potter had said just kept playing over and over again in his mind: _You__'__re__ making__ a __huge __mistake. __I__'__m __probably __the __only __other __man __in __the __world __who__ knows __just __what __you__'__re __losing __every __second __you__ don__'__t __go __to __her __flat __and __tell __her __the __truth_.

* * *

><p>Ingrid knocked on his office door an hour and half later. "A note from Ron Weasley?" she said, pinking when she said the red-headed git's name. Draco rolled his eyes. Her hero-worship for the Golden Trio was annoying as hell.<p>

"Thanks, Ingrid," he said, holding out a hand for the slip of paper.

_Just __so __you __know, __I__ am __totally __against__ giving__ you __this__ address__ and __am__ only__ doing __so __because __Harry __barged__ into __my __office __looking __like __hell __and __told __me __he__'__d __hex __me __if __I __didn__'__t._ Draco smirked slightly at the thought of how _that_ conversation must've gone, then turned back to Ron's messy scrawl. _But I swear to Merlin, if you screw her over again, I will personally make sure that..._

What followed was an extremely graphic and detailed account of exactly what kind of bodily harm Draco could expect to endure if Ginny Weasley got hurt again. Draco rolled his eyes. He'd learned long ago that the Weasley men were all bark and no bite, although he couldn't really speak for Potter.

And below all the threats were the three lines of Ginny's address. Draco considered crumpling it up…his fist actually closed a little around it and his eyes flicked to the waste bin beside his desk. But he couldn't. With a sigh, he leaned his head back and stared up at the ceiling of his office. Potter's voice again: _you__'__re __making __a __huge__ mistake_. Abruptly, he sat up straight in his chair and tucked the address firmly into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. He pulled the stack of reports toward him and began to read. He had a plan: right now he was going to finish these reports, at three he was going to meet with Higgins to discuss new options for the deal, and at five o'clock on the dot, when Ginny got off work, he was going to go to her flat and get her back.

* * *

><p>Draco leaned against the rail of the porch across the street from her flat. For the fifth time since he'd been there, he glanced at his watch – 5:06. He shook himself. <em>For<em>_ Merlin__'__s __sake, __pull__ yourself__ together,__ Malfoy_. He'd Apparated here straight after work, and his nerves with building with every minute he waited for her to get home. He was acting like a bloody lovesick schoolboy, he thought, rolling his eyes.

There was the crisp pop of an Apparition, and he looked up sharply to see her materialize a few feet away. She didn't notice him, and he watched her with an uncomfortable tightness in his chest as she dug into her bag for her keys and started up the steps to her building. She looked more…mature…than he remembered, but in a good way. Something about the short hair and the crisp dress pants. He supposed she was twenty-three now, and working for the Ministry. It made him realize how much she must've changed since they'd been together, and his stomach clenched with a sharp pang of uncertainty. But by now she was pushing open the door to the building lobby.

He shook himself again and exhaled heavily. "Ginny," he called out, striding as confidently as he could across the street.

She spun in surprise. At the sight of him, her body visibly relaxed and she put a hand to her chest. "Draco?" she said, laughing a little, "You scared me!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to," he said, smiling. "How are you?"

She smiled back, but he could see the slightest tinge of confusion in her eyes, and he knew she was wondering what he was doing here. "I'm doing really well," she replied. "You?"

"All right."

She nodded. "So…this is a surprise," she began, and she chewed her bottom lip reflexively, "What exactly are you…doing here?"

To his annoyance, Draco felt his heart start hammering in his chest, and he realized he couldn't just blurt out that he wanted her back.

"Do you want to get a cup of coffee?" he said finally, gripping the rail at the bottom of the steps at looking up at her.

She hesitated. "I have a lot of work to do tonight," she answered cautiously.

"Just a walk around the block then?" he persisted.

She met his eyes searchingly for a full second, and for a moment Draco thought she might just refuse and go inside and that would be the end of it, but then she shrugged. "All right, let's go."

She shut the door and came down the steps, and they began walking down her street.

"So I heard you have a new job," he said conversationally. He would work up to the real reason for his visit.

She nodded. "It's a nice change of pace. I got a little antsy at Hogwarts. And now I can have my own apartment off campus. It's nice."

"So you feel all grown up now?" he quipped, grinning.

She laughed aloud. "Something like that." She paused and looked up at him seriously. "I heard about your father," she said. "I'm sorry."

"You hated him," he commented.

"I did," she admitted.

He smiled wryly. "I appreciate that though," he said.

"So what have you been doing now that you're one of the richest men in England?" she asked as they turned the corner and started back around the block.

"Oh, you know," he replied, "Diamond-encrusted suits, caviar, the works."

"Oh? No trips to Paris on your private jet?" she teased.

"Only on weekends," he answered, smirking, "I try to be frugal."

She laughed. "Rich git," she quipped.

"Penniless brat," he returned, and she smiled broadly at the old affectionate insult.

They were rounding the corner back onto her street now, and Draco knew it was now or never. He glanced over at her smiling profile and swallowed.

"I didn't cheat on you," he said shortly.

She froze and he saw her grip the strap of her bag harder. She was silent for a long moment, and Draco could've sworn his own heart stopped beating. Finally, she looked up at him, eyes wide.

"What?" she whispered.

He exhaled and dug his nails into the palms of his hands to force himself to hold her gaze as he spoke. It was harder than he had imagined it would be; he had never expected to tell her this. "That day you came to my hotel room and you saw Parkinson in there with me…. We didn't sleep together. She hurt herself trying to curse me, and…."

Her eyes flashed. "She was in nothing but a towel, Draco," she cut in.

"It wasn't like that," he said quickly. "She was bleeding, and she was washing up. It wasn't like that," he repeated.

She didn't respond for a moment, brow furrowed.

"Then why didn't you just tell me then?" she demanded suddenly. "Why didn't you deny it?"

"Because of what you said about Potter," he answered. "Do you remember?"

Her head jerked in a nod, but her cheeks began to flush in anger and Draco felt a sickening sense of hopelessness in his stomach. She stared at him for several long seconds, but then her jaw set and she hitched her bag higher on her shoulder and started to walk again down the street. He matched her pace.

"I don't believe you," she said flatly, not meeting his eyes.

Draco's heart sank. "Why not?" he whispered.

"Why not?" she repeated. "Because it's been _three__ years_, Draco."

"That's not a reason," he replied.

"Yes it is!" she snapped. "I'm settled and happy and...this?" she laughed mirthlessly. "I'm not interested in being lied to."

"Ginny," Draco said, and he heard how pathetically pleading his voice was. "I'm not lying to you. Please…."

"No," she flared, whirling to face him. "Those first months after we broke up, I wanted nothing more than for you to show up on my doorstep and tell me it was all a misunderstanding. But now? It's just…it's ridiculous for you to show up here and expect me to believe that you're telling me the truth _now_, after three years!"

"Ginny, please. I really am telling you the truth," he said softly, meeting her eyes, every fiber of his body begging her to reconsider.

But she just shook her head. "Draco, just stop." She climbed the steps to her apartment and opened the door, and Draco had the distinct feeling that she was running away from him. "We've been over for a long time," she said, "Let's just…let's just leave it, okay?" And then she went inside and shut the door firmly behind her.

Draco stood in the middle of the street, frozen in place. It was like ripping off an old band-aid and realizing that the wound was still open and bleeding profusely beneath.

Five minutes later, he started back down the street. As he walked, one last option solidified in his mind, and he began to walk more determinedly. There was one last thing he could do. And if that didn't work? Well, then…? He shut his eyes for a moment. Then it really was over.

* * *

><p>Draco lifted the intricate brass knocker and clapped it against the door three times. After several seconds, the heavy door creaked open and Draco entered the foyer to be greeted by a diminutive House Elf.<p>

"How can I help you, Sir?" the elf asked.

"I need to speak with Mrs. Zabini," Draco replied.

"Mistress is supervising the laying out of dinner," the elf replied. "I will go fetch her. Who shall I say is calling?"

"I'm an old friend," he answered coolly.

"Nubbin, who is it?" A tall, dark-skinned man entered the hall and did a slight double-take at the sight of Draco.

"Draco Malfoy," he said slowly, smiling. "I haven't seen you in years. How are you?"

"Blaise," Draco replied, shaking the man's hand. "I'm here to see your wife. Congratulations, by the way."

Blaise nodded. "I'm sorry you couldn't make it to the wedding," he said.

"Well, you know, business," Draco said. He'd conveniently had a business meeting on the continent that day. He had a feeling everyone, including Mr. and Mrs. Zabini, had been relieved at his absence.

"I do know," Blaise said. "Well, I have some paperwork to finish before dinner. Nubbin, please go fetch Mistress. Tell her Mr. Malfoy will be waiting in the sitting room. She'll be pleased to see him, I'm sure."

The elf disappeared in an instant. "It was nice to see you, Malfoy. I'm sorry I'm quite busy at the moment, but please do come by another time. The sitting room's just through there." And with that, the man crossed the foyer and disappeared around the corner.

Draco entered the next room and ensconced himself in an armchair to wait. He didn't have to wait long.

"Well this is quite a surprise," her cool voice echoed in the small room.

He stood to give her an awkward air-kiss on either cheek. "Parkinson." He paused. "Or should I say Zabini now?"

She smirked. "Whatever you like. Now to what do I owe the pleasure? I don't have much time. I'm serving dinner soon."

Draco didn't hesitate. "I need you to go to Ginny and tell her what really happened that day."

Her eyes flashed. "Nothing happened that day," she said.

"Exactly."

"Why don't you tell her yourself?" she asked.

"She doesn't believe me."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "So you want me to help you get her back? Classy, Malfoy."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Look, Pansy, I know we're not friends anymore…."

"No," Pansy said sharply. "No, we're not."

He continued as if he hadn't heard. "But this is my last shot."

She didn't answer, just met his eyes fiercely.

"Please, Pansy," he repeated. "Trust me, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important to me."

* * *

><p><em>One week later<em>

Draco sat in his study, staring at the sheet of paper on the desk before him.

_It's done. I don't know if she believed me, but I did what you asked. – PZ_

It had been three days since he'd received that note from Pansy, and he still hadn't heard from Ginny. Malfoy Manor was lonely and cold in winter; absentmindedly, he flicked his wand at the grate and the flames burst up higher and stronger inside.

He had determined not to go back to Ginny's apartment. Pansy had corroborated his story, and if that didn't convince Ginny, nothing would. It was up to her to make a decision now. If she wanted to come back to him, she would. And if she didn't, he wouldn't bother her anymore.

He pushed Pansy's note to one side of his desk and picked up his quill, turning back to the reports he needed to sign. He tapped the quill on the desk, unable to focus. With a frustrated growl, he pushed his chair back and stood, pacing to the fireplace and leaning forward with his hand gripping the mantelpiece.

"Hi."

Draco whirled. Ginny was standing in the study doorway. She was in jeans and t-shirt, her hair pulled into a messy ponytail. There was dark shadows beneath her eyes; she looked like she hadn't been sleeping well. His fingers twitched at his side, and his mind dimly registered surprise. He hadn't realized how strong the instinct to comfort her still was after all these years.

"Is it okay that I'm here?" she asked tentatively.

"Of course," he said quickly. He moved away from the mantelpiece and faced her, leaning back slightly against the front of his desk.

"Pansy Parkinson came to see me," she said.

He just nodded, gripping the edge of the desk so hard his knuckles were white.

"She said that you two didn't sleep together that day…in the hotel."

"It's the truth," Draco said.

Ginny nodded slowly, not breaking their gaze. "I think…I mean, I think I believe that now," she whispered.

Draco felt his heart constrict. "Ginny…," he sighed.

"You should've told me then," she said.

He swallowed, nodding. "I know."

"We lost three years," she continued.

"I know." He exhaled. His heart was pounding in his chest. "Let me make it up to you," he whispered, his voice breaking ever-so-slightly on the last word.

And then, without warning, and without breaking their gaze, she crossed the room in three quick strides and kissed him. When her lips pressed against his, the whole study faded around him, and Draco's whole body was filled with intense relief, because Ginny Weasley was in his arms again.

She pulled away with a soft giggle. "Merlin, I missed you," she murmured against his lips.

Draco leaned his forehead against hers, and stared straight into her beautiful brown eyes – beautiful brown eyes that were filled with a tenderness he had never thought he'd see in them again – and he smiled. "I missed you too."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Phew! So there's only the epilogue now...I can't believe this story is almost finished. It has pretty much consumed me for the past couple of months. I hope you liked this chapter :) Please review and tell me what you think - the first person to review will be the 500th reviewer!


	32. Epilogue: Ginny Potter, Ending 1

**Author****'****s**** Note:** Note that this is part of the H/G ending.

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><p><strong>Epilogue: Ginny Potter (Ending 1)<strong>

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><p><em>Four months later<em>

There was a hard knock on the door, and Harry crossed the room to open it.

"You look like hell, mate," Ron said, grinning widely as he bounded into the room.

"Thanks a lot," Harry muttered, rolling his eyes and running his hand through his hair.

"Rough week, Harry?" Hermione teased, beaming as she followed Ron inside. She set her heavy-looking bag on the kitchen table and began pulling things out of it.

"You have no idea," Harry replied. "I'm pathetic, aren't I?"

"Absolutely," Ron quipped.

"_Ron_," Hermione chided, but she laughed. "You know," she added, turning to Harry, "This is only what you deserve. She's only been gone a week, _and_ her international education conference isn't life-threatening. So just imagine what she felt like all those times you were gone on missions." She made a prim face, and Harry huffed at her.

"Now," she continued, "Come help me put these candles out. And Ron, you take these," she proffered him a bag of bright red rose petals, "and sprinkle them around."

"Where?" Ron asked.

"Oh, the sofa, the table, the bed," she said, waving him away.

"Ugh, the _bed_?" Ron groaned, making a face. "I don't want to think about _that_." But he headed down the hall to the bedroom.

"Thanks for helping me," Harry said, "I'm hopeless at this stuff."

"I know," Hermione said easily, grinning. "But she loves that about you."

"She does?" Harry groaned. "So why are we setting out candles and rose petals and all again?"

Hermione beamed. "Because she'll love this too."

Two hours later, Harry and Ginny Apparated just down the street from their flat. Harry's heart was pounding hard in his chest, but he forced himself to focus on Ginny and what she was saying.

"And _then_, Poe had the nerve to say that Hogwarts is _overfunded_. Can you believe that?"

"Did you tell him to shove it?" Harry asked.

She laughed. "I wish. Probably would've gotten fired, though I think McGonagall almost _did_ tell him that."

They climbed the steps to their flat, and Harry hung back a tiny bit to let Ginny open the door.

He heard her sharp intake of breath. The front room was dark, but there were candles everywhere – special candles that Hermione had charmed so they wouldn't start a fire – and rose petals dotted most of the surfaces. But Harry wasn't looking at any of that. He was looking at her. He followed her into the room where she turned in a circle, eyes wide. The candlelight reflected off of her hair and her mouth broke into a wide smile.

And when she finally turned back to him, beaming, a question on her lips, he was already on one knee with the ring box open in his hand.

"Marry me, Gin," he said.

There was a moment's pause, and Harry's mind took a snapshot of it, and then she grinned even wider and tackled him to the floor. He lay flat on his back with Ginny above him, her hair falling down around their faces. "Shall I take that as a yes?" he said, grinning broadly.

"I think that would be a safe bet," she laughed.

He lifted his head a little to press his lips against hers. "I should tell you, all of this romantic stuff was Hermione's idea."

She shot him a look of mock horror. "Damn. I guess I can't marry you then."

He chuckled as he slid the ring onto her finger. "Perhaps we can set the record for world's shortest engagement."

"That would be a real waste," she said, smiling as she lowered her lips to his again. "Ginny Potter," she whispered speculatively when she pulled away. She grinned. "That has a nice ring to it."

He laughed. "That was a pun. A bad one."

She swatted him teasingly. Then her expression softened and she leaned down to give him three slow kisses – one on his forehead, one on the tip of his nose, and one long, lingering kiss on his lips. "I love you, Harry Potter," she whispered.

"I love you too, Ginny Weasley."

"Ginny Potter," she reminded him, winking cheekily.

He smiled. "I could get used to that."

* * *

><p><em>And thirteen years after that<em>

The little girl hunched her shoulders with a dramatic groan, and Ginny took one hand off the trolley to pat her head affectionately. "Two years," Lily sniffed, "I want to go _now_!"

Ginny and Harry exchanged a significant look, amused smiles twitching at the corners of their lips.

Meanwhile, the boys had bounded farther ahead, and Ginny heard James teasing his brother in his most needling voice. Al wailed desperately that he would _not_ be in Slytherin, and Ginny rolled her eyes. "James, give it a rest!"

"I only said he _might_ be," James replied, shooting Al a cocky grin. "There's nothing wrong with that. He _might_ be in Slyth –"

Ginny raised a stern eyebrow at him, and his lips clamped shut tightly. She narrowed her eyes warningly at him as he came to collect his cart from her, and he only dared a smug glance at Al before he sailed his belongings through the barrier.

Albus nudged a little closer, and Ginny took the opportunity to ruffle his hair a bit like she used to do when he was little. Al had inherited Harry's unkempt mop, but Ginny knew he wouldn't appreciate his mother brushing it down in front of everyone once they were on the platform. "You'll write to me, won't you?" he said earnestly.

Ginny smiled brightly. "Every day, if you want us to," she assured him.

He blinked frantically. "Not _every_day. James says most people only get letters from home about once a month."

Ginny snorted. "We wrote to James three times a week last year."

"And you don't want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts," Harry said, rolling his eyes as he came up to them. He placed a light hand on the small of Ginny's back as he spoke. "He likes a laugh, your brother." And he pushed the second trolley forward, and he and Al disappeared through the bricks.

"Ready, Lil?" Ginny said, reaching out a hand to the pouting redhead at her side. At the prospect of going through the barrier, Lily immediately stood up straighter and dried her eyes, determined to look grown-up to everyone on the other side. She grasped Ginny's hand solemnly, and they walked through.

Platform nine and three-quarters was bustling. Through the mist, Ginny could make out the familiar sight of groups of parents dotting the station and students racing around the platform, chattering excitedly as they lugged their trunks onto the Hogwarts Express.

Soon enough, they located Ron and Hermione, and Lily dropped Ginny's hand in favor of playing with Hugo. She saw James disappear into a throng of friends at the side of the train and turned back to the group at hand.

"You're looking lovely in your robes, Rosie," she said to her niece, who beamed and hoisted her heavy-looking bookbag higher on her shoulder. That made Ginny grin: the girl had definitely gotten Hermione's end of the stick in the studying department.

"If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you," Ron was saying, "but no pressure."

"_Ron!_" Hermione chided, glaring at her husband.

"He doesn't mean it," she said quickly, noticing the blanched look on Al's face. She shot Ron a glare too, just so he got the point. Ron shrugged and opened his mouth to say something more, but then he noticed something farther down the platform and leaned his head down to Harry's.

"Look who it is," he said.

All four adults followed his gaze, and Ginny saw Draco standing a little way away. He was wearing a long wool coat and carrying his son's bookbag easily over one shoulder. The little boy next to him was an exact replica of Draco at eleven, and Ginny recognized Astoria Greengrass on the boy's other side. Draco seemed to have noticed them too, and she saw him meet Harry's eyes. The two men nodded to each other without warmth. Draco's gaze shifted to her, and Ginny met his eyes directly for a long moment. She smiled, and she saw his expression warm a little. He smiled back before turning away.

Ten minutes later, they had loaded Albus onto the train. Ginny gave him a quick kiss good-bye, but she watched him hesitate before boarding and turn to his father with wide eyes. "What if I'm in Slytherin?"

Ginny turned away as Harry crouched down. "Albus Severus," he began, "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts…."

Ginny raised a hand to wave goodbye to Rose, but she could hear Harry explaining the truth about Snape and the Sorting Hat behind her. She felt a rush of affection for Harry; he was an incredible father. A few minutes later, Al jumped onto the train and Ginny shut the door firmly behind him. As the train pulled away, Harry walked along with it, and she snaked her arm through his.

"He'll be all right," she murmured as the train pulled out of sight.

"I know he will," he whispered. He tore his eyes away from the place where the train had disappeared and turned to her, smiling gently. He leaned down to give her a tender kiss. Lily made a loud sound of disgust behind them, and Ginny smiled as Harry drew away.

"_I_ think, that for being so good about staying home while James and Al go off to school, _you_ should get some ice cream. What d'you think?" he said loudly, grinning at Lily's squeal of enthusiasm.

Ginny laughed at their antics, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Draco approaching her. She turned to face him.

"Ginny Weasley," he said, smiling, "When was the last time I saw you?"

"A lifetime ago," she replied easily, grinning broadly. "Was that your son…?"

"Scorpius," he supplied. "And you have three?"

She nodded. "James and Al just left on the train, and Lily's nine and devastated she couldn't join them."

Draco laughed at that. "I'm sure." He paused for a moment, thoughtfully, then, "You look happy."

Ginny looked over her shoulder to where Harry was hoisting a cackling Lily up for a piggyback ride, a wide grin on his face. "I am," she replied, turning back to Draco and nodding, a smile on her face.

He nodded back, an easy farewell, and she moved away and down the platform to join her family. "I really am," she repeated, smiling to herself.

And she was.

THE END

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> The last scene obviously takes much of its dialogue/situation from the epilogue of _Deathly Hallows_. Because I didn't think Harry and Ginny would have kids right away in this story, I had to push the canon epilogue back a year. Please review!


	33. Epilogue: Ginny Malfoy, Ending 2

**Author****'****s**** Note:** Note that this is part of the D/G ending.

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue: Ginny Malfoy (Ending 2)<strong>

* * *

><p><em>Three months later<em>

Draco shed his clothing down to his swimming trunks, carefully folding his button-down and pants and setting them on the pond bank. It was beautiful out – one of those warm spring evenings that hinted at the coming summer, and he and Ginny had come out to the pond after the Weasley dinner. For old time's sake.

"Come on! What are you waiting for?" Ginny called, giving him a teasing splash.

He turned to look at her and she gave him a cheeky wink. He shook his head, a small smirk forming at the corners of his lips. "You _really_ shouldn't have done that," he said, and then he took three running strides to the water's edge and cannon-balled into the pond.

Ginny shrieked as water sprayed over her, and Draco surfaced laughing uncontrollably.

"You arse!" Ginny yelled, but she was grinning widely. She moved toward the bank and turned to face him, resting her forearms on the shore and kicking her legs out before her.

"Aw, don't be like that," he answered, dodging a light splash as he waded toward her.

"Since when are you such a terror in the water?" Ginny said, smiling cheekily as Draco settled his arms on either side of her body and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

"Well, what can I say?" he answered, smirking, "I learned from the best."

Ginny smiled at that. The last rays of sunlight were reflecting off of her copper hair, quiet night noises were beginning to sound around them, and Draco suddenly found that the moment he'd been looking for all week was upon him.

"Ginny?"

"Hm?" She met his eyes, obviously expecting another teasing comment.

"I love you," he said.

She looked at him curiously, but her smiled widened, and she tilted her head for a kiss. "I love you too, Draco," she replied, voice soft, as their lips met. As the kiss deepened, Draco reached behind her to the shore and into the pocket of his jeans. He pulled away a little and met her eyes again.

"Then marry me."

As her eyes widened and flicked from his face to the ring and velvet box in his hand and back to his face, he realized that he wasn't as nervous as he'd expected to be. He'd expected a pounding heart and a dry mouth, but instead he found that he was just looking at her and that his mind was racing, trying to imprint every second of this event into his memory.

"Yes," she said finally, laughing and throwing herself at him so enthusiastically that the water splashed around them. "Of course I'll marry you!"

"Calm down, woman! You'll drown me!" Draco hollered with laughter.

Ginny smirked and kissed him full on the lips. "I thought you learned from the best."

Draco pulled the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger. "Beautiful," he said.

"Yeah, it is," Ginny agreed.

"I wasn't talking about the ring," he said, raising his eyebrows at her.

Ginny threw her head back and laughed aloud. "Cheesy, Malfoy, _so_ cheesy." Then she glanced down at the ring on her finger and tilted her head slightly. She looked back up at him. "Is this…?"

He nodded.

"You never returned it," she said, smiling.

"Well, you know," Draco said, shrugging, "The store wouldn't take it back, so…."

"Oh, please, Malfoy," she snorted, leaning in for another kiss. "You think you can get that past me?"

He grinned. "I wouldn't dare. So," he said thoughtfully, planting kisses along her forehead and temple and down her cheek. "How does it feel to be the future Mrs. Malfoy?"

She smiled back.

"Perfect."

* * *

><p><em>And thirteen years after that<em>

"Let me guess, Leo, you got these from your Uncle Fred." Draco looked down at the little strawberry blonde boy, eyebrows raised sternly and hand outstretched.

"Yes," Leo groaned sheepishly, depositing the handful of Skiving Snackbox sweets into his father's palm.

Ginny rolled her eyes in amusement. She watched Draco suppress a smirk and held out her hand for him to hand her the candies. With a conspiratorial wink, she tossed one to Leo behind her back and pocketed the rest. Leo beamed.

"I'm _going_ to be late!" Ginny looked up to see Cissa standing next to the barrier, her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. "I don't want to miss the train!"

"All right, Cissa, go on through. But take Leo with you," Draco said, and Leo bounded forward to grab his sister's hand. They disappeared through the barrier.

Draco came around to the back of the trolley and put his arm around Ginny. "I _saw_ you toss him that sweet, you know," he said, an amused gleam in his eye.

She shrugged. "Well, we have to let him have a little fun," she replied, smiling cheekily. "Anyway," she added, meeting his eyes, "It was a Puking Pastille. He'll learn his lesson soon enough."

Draco threw his head back and laughed. "Evil," he commented, shaking his head as they walked through the wall, "Brilliant. But evil."

Platform 9 ¾ was bustling. Groups of parents dotted the station, and students raced around the platform, chattering excitedly as they lugged their trunks onto the Hogwarts Express. Up ahead, Cissa and Leo had already found the group they were looking for and Leo and Hugo were already running around in breathless circles.

"Ron, Hermione!" Ginny greeted them brightly. She turned to where Draco and Harry were shaking hands. "Harry, where's Cathy?"

"Couldn't make it," he replied, "Auror's conference in Romania."

"How's James feeling about heading off?" she asked. Harry glanced at his son, whose head was bent close to Cissa and Rose's over a book.

"A little too eager, I think," he said, smiling.

"I'm a little worried about what the three of them are plotting," Ron said, narrowing his eyes at the little group. Ginny looked over; she had to admit that they were striking. Rosie's hair was bright red, James's jet black…and though Cissa had inherited Ginny's warm brown eyes, she was white-blonde like her father.

"Nothing good, I'm sure," Draco smirked.

Fifteen minutes later, they had loaded the three older children onto the train. As the Hogwarts Express pulled from the station, Draco's arms came around her and Ginny leaned back against his chest.

"She'll be all right, you know," Ginny said softly, glancing up and meeting his eyes.

"Of course she will," he replied matter-of-factly. "She has your Quidditch skills."

She grinned. "And your sense of style."

Draco chuckled. "And a strange streak of mischievousness that's just impossible to account for," he added.

She turned to face him, her brow furrowed in mock thoughtfulness. "That could've been either of us, really."

He nodded. "Too true." He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss.

A moment later, he pulled away speculatively. "So if Cissa ends up in Slytherin, can we decorate the Manor with green and silver and hang Slytherin flags over the fireplace?"

Ginny laughed at that and arched an eyebrow at him cheekily. She stood on tiptoe to plant on another light kiss on his lips.

"Not a chance in hell."

THE END

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> As you can see, the last scene of this story has a lot in common with the canon epilogue. But if you do the calculations, you'll see that I pushed the canon epilogue back a year (because I didn't think Draco and Ginny would have kids right after getting married...I wanted to give them a year or so). I think that's the only technical thing I wanted to say about the epilogue...

SO THAT'S IT! Wow, I can't believe this story is finished! This is the first really substantial story I've ever finished, and it's been a really amazing experience. I appreciate all of you who have read/reviewed throughout. You really inspired me to continue writing, so THANK YOU. Please review and tell me what you thought (about the epilogue and about the story as a whole). I would love to hear your thoughts and constructive comments, too.

I'm happy to say that I have another story in the works, so this story being over doesn't mean I won't have anything to frantically write in my free time. The story I'm working on is purely DG (no Harry triangle situation), so all you DG people keep a look out for it!

That's all I have to say - THANKS AGAIN FOR READING :)


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